All Fired Up
by TheGolurker
Summary: Team Flare's gone and Kalos is saved! ...Now what? This is the question that continually plagues the mind of one energetic Solar. World-saving hero? Nope. Just a battle-happy Trainer with a penchant for Fire-types. But as his journey goes on, he gets a bit more than what he bargained for, including, but not limited to, past heroes, ninja attacks, and some very weird codenames.
1. End of a Flar-era

**Author's Note: Back when I was writing The Chronicles of Azure, I said that I'd probably move on to write a Pokemon fanfic. And now is the time! For those of you who have perused my past works (and if you haven't yet, reading them would be great), this one will be a bit of a change of pace. How you ask? New third-person narrating style! A lot more humor! A lot less blood! Only a slim chance for tragic backstories! …So, now that you've got that knowledge safely stored away in your heads, go ahead and read on!**

_**Chapter 1: The End of a Flar-era**_

"Man… What to do now?…"

The young trainer looks up at the morning sky and sighs dejectedly. Despite the clear and sunny weather in his home city of Cyllage, his demeanor isn't anywhere near his usual upbeat self. Not even wearing his favorite Pyroar shirt is able to bring any semblance of cheerfulness. But really, who could blame him?

It's been a week since the menace of Team Flare had been put to an end. Peace has come to the Kalos region, but at a great cost to this adolescent. Solar lives for Pokemon battles, always searching for worthy opponents. He had hoped to raid Flare HQ himself and take down the boss, but the five heroes of Kalos already beat him to it. With the orange-suited eyesores neutralized and the region's saviors gone their separate ways, strong foes were significantly harder to come by. About the only places where he could find such opposition were tournaments he couldn't make or Kiloude City's Battle Maison, and everyone knows it's chock-full of cheaters.

Though not getting the life sucked out you is a great thing, the end of this chaotic era has essentially robbed the trainer of his purpose. After the grand celebratory parade took place, long aimless beach walks and contemplative musings have since become his routine (swimming was out of the question, partly due to his aquatic ineptitude, and partly due to the poisonous dragons infesting the waters). As the time passes, he and his Fire-typed team grow ever the more restless. He feels that if this boredom keeps on for long enough, he'll snap and try to bring about the end of the world just to mix things up a bit. But alas, Groudon is never there when you need him.

Instead, the boy resorts to taking a trip elsewhere. Lumiose City seemed to be the best destination, even if it meant getting lost for the umpteenth time or the slim chance of being rendered catatonic on the streets. After all, there was no shortage of things to do there; perhaps he could try and beat his high score at the Battle Institute again or finally convince that hair stylist to make him look like a Furfrou.

Grabbing his bike, Solar races off to the grandiose metropolis as fast as his red-sneaker-clad feet can take him. He is about to enter through one of the city's five gateways, when suddenly-

_CRASH!_

The bike flips once through the air, as the rider makes a not-so-graceful dismount.

"You should really watch where you're going, you moron!"

Looking up, he finds himself face to face with a girl in a gray-hued outfit with short blond hair. It only took a second for all this to register in the boy's mind, but it was a second too long for the other crash victim.

"Stop your inane staring and get off of me!"

He did as was requested, as the girl dusts herself off. She picks up the black fedora that had been knocked away from her head.

"Heh heh, sorry about that! Are you OK?"

Her glaring scowl was response enough. The most sensible thing to do at a moment like this would be to slowly walk away from the awkward silence and not risk further fueling the girl's rage. But the injurious incident appears to have broken what remnants of sanity the orange-capped boy has left, as evidenced by his next question.

"…So… You wanna battle?"

The monochromatically-clothed girl responds indignantly. "E-excuse me?! You run straight into me with your bike out of sheer ignorance, and now you want to ask me for some friendly competition?! What sense does that make?!"

"…I dunno, I just really want a battle. I've started going crazy this past week out of boredom!"

"I wholeheartedly believe that you already _have_ gone crazy! The answer is NO!"

And so she stormed out of the brick enclosure in a huff. But that course of action didn't deter that battle-crazed boy for a moment. He knows what he wants, and one way or another, he's going to get it. Solar trails along by the girl's side, pestering her with the same oft-asked question.

"Aw, c'mon, please?!"

"I already told you, NO!"

"C'mon! It'll be fun!"

"Back off, you idiot!"

The conversation, if one could even call it that, lasted like for what seemed to be hours, attracting the attention of both local and touring passersby. Up, down, left, right, the fedora-wearing female does her best to shake off her newfound follower in every alley and avenue, but to no avail. Within that span of time, the boy attempts to reach a compromise, while somehow managing to not get punched in the face.

"Uh, how 'bout this then! We'll only use three Pokemon each! Howzat sound?"

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again: NO! Can't you get it through that thick head of yours?!"

One of the city's ubiquitous Fletchling suddenly swoops down from one of the many trees lining the streets, frantically pecking the heck out of Solar's head. While the orange-capped adolescent tries to swat the bird away, the gray-clothed girl makes full use of the opportunity to separate herself from her dogged pursuer, softly chuckling at the boy's misfortune. But her newfound respite fails to last longer than a few seconds.

"Hey! Wait! How 'bout just one then? It's not gonna take long, I promise! PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE!"

It was at the point the girl has had enough. This constant annoyance just had to stop. But against most onlookers' (hopeful) expectations, she decides to go about resolving it in the more civilized manner.

"…Very well! If it will shut you up, then so be it!"

The two of them had ended up at the city's heart as a result of the girl's evasion attempts, Prism Tower looming overhead. Funny how that worked out.

"All right! It's time! Let's show 'er what we're made of, Roarstrike!"

Without a moment to spare, Solar's Arcanine enthusiastically makes his entrance, howling at the now-midday sun with a healthy dose of flames. The girl is decidedly unimpressed.

"Hmph, I see. You're one of those nicknamers, huh? Honestly…"

"H-hey, now! What's wrong with that?!"

She sighed, "Nothing I suppose, just… predictable." Before her opponent could utter another word, she sent out her fighter. "Come on out, Sylveon."

The fiery canine wastes no time in charging forth at the flesh-ribboned foe at his trainer's behest.

_Roarstrike used Flare Blitz!_

Despite the 300 or so pounds of fuzzy fireball barreling toward them at breakneck speeds, neither the Sylveon nor her trainer lost their cool. But without any attempt made at dodging, the attack connects with full force.

"Hah! Whaddya think? Pretty strong, huh? Probably should've told ya this earlier, but I never hold back!"

Obscuring clouds of smoke hang in the air, accompanying a strange stillness.

"…Huh? Don't tell me it's over already!"

"As if, you conceited twerp."

The smoke clears revealing the pink Pokemon still standing, and Roarstrike crouching down in front, tail wagging and tongue drooping. Solar didn't need to see the hearts in his companion's eyes to know what just happened.

_Roarstrike fell in love with Sylveon!_

"Well well, what do we have here? Your Arcanine has become hopelessly enamored. And after that savage attack too. How charmingly cute. Now, allow me to… return the favor!"

_Sylveon used Return!_

The fire-breathing canine stumbled backward, taking his master by surprise.

_Sylveon was such in sync with its Trainer's wishes that it landed a critical hit!_

"Hunh?! Wh-what was that?!"

The monochrome girl crosses her arms. "If I were you, I wouldn't underestimate my opponents."

Solar responds back with a smirk. "That's a pretty good Sylveon, I must admit! But that's not gonna stop me! C'mon, Roarstrike, give 'em another Flare Blitz!"

_Roarstrike is in love with Sylveon! Roarstrike is immobilized by love!_

"Hey now! Snap out of it!"

The girl gives out another command, remaining as level-headed as always. "Let's put this lunatic in his place, shall we? Moonblast!"

The flesh-ribboned fairy gathers up energy, then lets it loose in one big ball of pink light. It shouldn't have been very effective, but apparently it was effective enough. Roarstrike has been brought to his knees.

"Heh, not bad, not bad! But it's not over yet!"

_Roarstrike is in love with Sylveon! Roarstrike used Extremespeed!_

_Sylveon fainted!_

"Phew! That was pretty fun!" He wanted to add "…Even if you cheated a bit." to his statement, but he wasn't about to look this gift Rapidash of a battle in the mouth. There would be no possible way of that ending well. "We should do this again some time!"

"Hmph, I believe I humored you enough for one day. Or one lifetime, for that matter." She called back her tired-out Pokemon without missing a beat. "Just know that if I had decided not to hold back… you wouldn't be quite as enthusiastic to face me again."

"Are those fighting words that I hear? Heh, guess we'll just hafta see about that next time!"

"_If_ there is a next time."

The two trainers are about to part ways, one vastly more eager to than the other, when Solar asks a question.

"By the way, can I ask what your name is?"

Still significantly irked, she takes a deep breath to compose herself. "I already told you, I've humored you more than enough. I've got better things to do right now. So long."

The fedora-clad female continues walking away, not for one second looking back. As for Solar, he simply stands there, somewhat dumbfounded.

"…A simple 'No' would've sufficed…"


	2. A Foolish Encounter

_**Chapter 2: **__**A Foolish Encounter**_

"…Now what?"

The young trainer finds himself at yet another predicament. Riding high on the coattails of his most recent victory, his craving for battle has only intensified. He considers continuing his tireless search around the rest of Lumiose, but every passerby seemed to deliberately keep their distance from him. Wonder why.

But persistent as he his, Solar doesn't let something like that get him down. While he thinks of how to track down his next worthy opponent, the boy stops by one of the city's many cafes. Now most normal people going there would stop by for a cup of coffee or tea, perhaps carry on a conversation or two, and just relax as the day wears on. But it should be obvious by now that this boy is anything but normal.

"Gimmeanotherone!"

"But, sir, you've just had 6 cups! You'll get yourself sick if you keep this up!"

"Idon'tcare!IjustwantmoremoremoreMORE!"

The orange-capped trainer hates even the slightest bit of bitterness. Therefore, in lieu of the usual choice of beverages, he opts to down a saccharine concoction consisting of equal parts cream and sugar. Calm down? Oh no. He frequents these establishments to rile himself up with sugar-induced hyperactivity. In fact, regular café-goers around the region know him as the Creamer King. Others just call him "that crazy kid."

Despite the trainer's overcharged demeanor, he manages to overhear a conversation taking place between a young man and woman. Both their clothing suggests they come from a highly affluent background.

"So, how is your progress going at the Battle Chateau? Have you finally risen a rank yet?"

"Unfortunately, no, still a lowly Baron. The Pokemon my parents gave me have yet to win a battle, actually. Man, some of those guys are _strong_!"

"Yeah, tell me about it. Did you ever face off against that SM guy? Sheesh, talk about tough. He looks like your common everyday Butler, but he's downright monstrous in battle!"

"Yep, I know him all too well. He trounced me a couple days ago."

"Sorry to hear that… So much for that whole 'Aqua Jet-ting to the top' thing, huh?"

"…Please, stop bringing up that metaphor again. It was embarrassing enough when I said it; when you do it, it's just downright humiliating…"

Like a Thunderbolt from the blue, a stroke of brilliance came down upon Solar through his sugar-fueled craziness. The Battle Chateau, not all that far from his current location, sounds like just the suitable battleground he sought! Running out of there as fast as he can, Solar makes full use of this newfound excess of energy, going on a mad dash back through the gate he first entered to his new destination. His bike, still untouched from his previous less-than-graceful ride, remains abandoned; its owner is too consumed with a desire for battle to notice. Not surprising, considering he was too absent-minded to even remember to pay the relatively hefty bill for his signature drinks.

Soon he arrives at the fork in road right outside of Camphrier Town. The soothing atmosphere of the town he just passed through does nothing to abate the unbounded enthusiasm bursting from within, though. Due to this excitement, he ends up choosing the wrong path, finding himself right in front of the elaborately-furbished Parfum Palace.

"Hmm… This place got a lot shinier since the last time I was here…"

Blissfully unaware of his blunder, the orange-capped boy steps toward the lavishly-decorated castle, eager as ever to put his and his team's skills to the test. Until a sword flies in out of nowhere, landing less than half-an-inch from his face.

"Woah! What was that?! …A-Anyone lose this?"

"Fool! I am here completely of my own volition!"

Solar was no stranger to weirdness; he himself was practically the living embodiment of the concept. But the sight of a talking sword is enough to catch him off-guard. So much so, he almost trips over himself when backing away in sheer disbelief.

"Hunh?! You can talk?!"

"Fool! Of course I can! Do you take me for some run-of-the-mill Honedge?!" The sentient sword picked itself out of the ground, now floating at eye level with the befuddled adolescent. "What business do you have here?"

"I'm here to visit the Battle Ch-"

"Fool! Who said you could talk?!"

"But… you asked me a que-"

"FOOL!"

The boy has only been in contact with this babbling blade for a few seconds, but he already starts wishing to get away from it as soon as possible. Everything about it was just… annoying. So, how do you like the taste of your own medicine, protagonist?

"I already know what you're here for! You want to grace the doors of the Battle Chateau! But it appears you have taken a wrong turn!"

"Hmm… Well, I guess that explains it! …Uh, hey, talking Honedge, think you could show me the way there?"

"Fool! Did I give you permission to speak?!" The obnoxious blade pointed its sheath at the trainer, extremely close to his now-grimacing face. "But yes! I can! However! There are some provisions you must observe is you wish to acquire my assistance!"

"How many are we talkin' here exactly?"

"There are a total of 1000!"

Solar certainly wasn't a big fan of having to hang out with this speaking sword much longer, but he didn't really see any alternative. You know, like trying to look at a map or bothering to remember that he passed by the building earlier in the day. He begrudgingly agrees, offering a perfunctory handshake. But the blade abruptly backs away.

"Fool! Provision #679! Never, _ever,_ touch the tassel! Do want to have the life drained out of you?!"

"Ulp! N-no thanks! Not really in the mood to get my soul eaten today!"

With that sobering comment, the boy and the blade then depart from the palace grounds and back to the correct route.

The trip could only last for a few minutes at most, presuming a straightforward path, but the pesky Pokemon was able to find a way to make it seem a lot longer, as he led his somewhat-forced-along travel companion.

"You see, my legend begins in the 12th century! It was a tumultuous time, warring kingdoms and factions constantly vying for power! I, legend that I am, was wielded by none other than the illustrious King AZ! I was tasked with leading he and his men into battle, valiantly and without fear!…" The Honedge's story seemed to last for an eternity, either rehashing history as sung by minstrels across Kalos, or sharing the most asinine details about the proper way to dine in the palace. To Solar, the idea of getting one's soul sucked out didn't seem to be such a bad one right about now.

"…And then, in a fit of rage, the giant crystalline flower rises ominously from the depths of the earth, radiating its eerie beauty throughout the-"

"Are you almost done?"

"Fool! You're forgetting #717! Never interrupt me while I'm describing ancient catastrophes! Anyway! As I was saying…"

About a minute later, Solar's destination is within their sights. The babbling blade notices it just as much as he does, but it was far from done with its annoying antics.

"Now that we're almost there, I think it's high time that I treat you with a song!"

"…Oh no… Please no…"  
"AZ's Honeeeeeeeeeedge! AZ's Honeeeeeeeeeeedge! From the Kalos Region! I'm looking for battle! I'm going to that Chateeeeeeeeeaaau!"

It is at that moment, the boy runs frantically to the doorstep of the large building a few feet away. Needless to say, the singing sword immediately protests.

"Hey! Now hold on! We haven't even gotten to the five-hour storytelling party yet! You can't leave! Come ba-"

_Solar used Door Slam! It's super effective!_

**Author's Note: And so ends yet another chapter! I know I'm only a couple chapters into this thing, but please, tell me what you think! Feedback makes the writing world go round, after all! Keep on reading, faithful readers!**


	3. One Heck of a Battler

**Author's Note: After much scrutiny, I decided to update this chapter! Thanks to Reginald Classy-Duck for the advice you gave!**

_**Chapte****r**** 3: One Heck of a Battler**_

"Welcome to the Battle Chateau."

Solar, having escaped the abominable entity that is AZ's Honedge, finds himself greeted by someone as soon as he enters the luxurious mansion. Said greeter is a tall, dark-haired man wearing a black formal suit. His attire is nothing out of the ordinary for this place, and his expression seems innocuous enough, but the smile this man wears has a faintly sinister air to it. But being still hyped up on sugar and annoyance-induced adrenaline, the orange-capped trainer remains unshaken.

"Hey there! I don't recall seein' you here before!"

"Well, naturally, sir. I have only recently begun employment here after the Chateau's recent change in ownership." The man takes a short pause, then continues on to make an inquiry. "Are you perchance the one known as Solar?"

"Uh, yeah, that is my name. Why do you ask?"

"Excellent." The formal-spoken man takes a small bow. "My master wishes to speak with you."

The flame-themed trainer follows along his suited escort, bewildered why a person he has never seen nor heard of before wishes to request his presence. In a matter of seconds, a veritable firestorm of thoughts bombard his creamer-addled mind. Was he finally going to be promoted to the title of Grand Duke? Did they need the help of his fire-typed team to power a light show for the ages? Was his amazing sense of humor needed to cheer up a little girl bedridden by boredom?

Quite the egotist, that one.

However, the boy isn't kept in the dark long about the true purpose of his beckoning. (And good thing too; I would not want have to write anymore of the inane, inflated mantras flowing through his mind than I absolutely have to.) "My master has heard many tales of your battling prowess. He wishes to put the skills that saved the region to the test, you see."

For a brief moment, the sprightly Solar is silenced. Interestingly, as egotistical as the trainer is, he refuses to take credit for deeds he hasn't done. "Hey, I'm flattered and everything, but I think you've got me mixed up with someone else! Sure I hated Team Flare for making my favorite color look bad and all, but I never actually took 'em down! I'm not the hero you take me for!"

"Nonsense. Such modesty is admirable, but there is really no need to deny it. Being requested by my master is a great honor, after all."

The orange-capped adolescent continues making ineffectual protests, but the black-suited man continues pushing him along. Soon the pair arrive at the back wall of the building, then stop. This only heightens Solar's confusion even further.

"Right this way, sir."

"Uh… OK, I guess…"

_BONK!_

_Solar hurt himself in confusion!_

"Ooowww…"

"Sir, I would advise you to wait until after I have cleared the way."

"Oh, I get it! Secret passage! Very cool!"

The man slowly raised up his right hand in a fist and took a deep breath. "…Not exactly."

_Mysterious Man used Brick Break!_

Needless to say, Solar was taken aback with shock, eyes widened as large as a Gastly's. Strength disproportionate to one's slender figure tends to have that effect on people.

"Now you may enter."

"O-O-OK!"

Sidestepping the newly-created rubble, the two walk forward into a grassy clearing. Off in the distance, there stands a small boy in ornate attire, complete with a large top hat and… an eye patch?

"Ah, there you are! Have you brought me the trainer I requested?"

With nary a word, the dark-suited man brought forward a still significantly scared Solar while taking a bow. However, the eye patched child is noticeably displeased. "And who is this exactly? This isn't the one I called for." The child's voice sounds stuffy and higher-pitched, as if affected by a cold. However, it seems fitting when taking into account his mildly androgynous appearance. Seriously, just stick him in a corset and frilly pink dress, and he could easily pass for a girl. …A creepy, standoffish girl, at least.

"Hmm? My lord, I do not understand. He matches the description you gave me. Long, light-colored hair, eager to seek out battle, and always seen wearing a hat of some sort."

"…My hair isn't that long…"

"He even matches the name you gave me: Solar. With all due respect, how could it not the person you asked for?"

"It's because… That is not the name I asked for earlier! Didn't you hear me? I said the name I was looking for was S-… S-… ACHOOOOO!" For such a small child, his sneeze was surprisingly loud. The Pyroar-shirted adolescent shudders in response, still jumpy from the wall-breaking spectacle he had witnessed. "Ah, never mind! What matters is, this is not the one I'm looking for!"

After hearing the child's apathetic and petulant rants, Solar was half-expecting the mysterious man to punch the kid square in the face into next week. But instead, the suited man gets down on one knee.

"My sincerest apologies, my lord. I have made a horrible blunder not befitting your butler. I fear I may not be atone for this mistake… I have not fulfilled your request…"

The sheer amount of humility coming from the same man who punched a hole through a solid brick wall completely takes the orange-capped boy off-guard. The top-hat clad child decides to give his servant a reprieve, while still maintaining a cold, callous tone. "Oh well, you can make it up to me by providing me some entertainment for this afternoon. This hyperactive idiot does seem to be quite the interesting character, regardless of his identity; go battle with him."

As soon as the child said those words, he lifts up his eye patch. Underneath it lays an eye shining with an eerie, purple glow. The butler quickly affirms the order.

"Yes, my lord."

Solar wastes no time in readying his battlers, but first asks a question.

"So! Who are you anyway, butler man? And how are we gonna do this?"

"You wish to know who I am? Very well. The name my master has given me is that of S Bastion Michaels. However, I am better known throughout this establishment by the initials SM. As for this battle, we shall use three Pokemon each, in accordance to our ranks. That is the only limitation."

Immediately, the battle-crazed boy dons an eager smirk. "I see! So you're the great SM person I've been hearing about! Heh, you may not have been looking for me, but I've been looking for you! I hear you're really strong, butler man! …But just one more question before we start. What's the S stand for?"

"Just S. Nothing more, nothing less. Now shall we get started?"

"With pleasure! …Weird… one-letter named guy. Now! C'mon out, Cloudburst!"

Solar's Ninetales make a graceful entrance, waving its nine tails. Simultaneously, the atmosphere around the battlefield grows brighter and warmer. Perfect for someone hailing from a beachside town, but not so much for those with a preference for formal clothing.

_Cloudburst's Drought intensified the sun's rays!_

"Heh! Now you're playin' with fire!"

Even in the muggy heat, the butler still retains his composure. "A fine choice. Here's mine. Go, Pluto!"

Suddenly, a Furfrou three times the size of your average canine appeared on the scene. It wags its tail enthusiastically, and playfully lets its out his tongue. But upon realizing the battle situation, a piercing gaze of determination takes their place.

"W-wow! Impressive dog you got there! ...But will it be able to stand up to this? Cloudburst-"

"Use Flamethrower, Pluto!"

"Hunh?!"

_FWOOOM_! Flames erupt from the white-furred giant's mouth, completely engulfing the fox. Though neither trainer nor Pokemon on the receiving end have no problems with withstanding heat, the humongous cloud of am-I-missing-an-eyebrow-worthy, possibly-second-degree-burn-causing fire is way too close for comfort for the both of them as it draws ever closer… Or is it?

The smoke clears, revealing a Chandelure in the kitsune's place, blue flames burning brightly, twice the height and luminance of the its normal intensity.

"Yikes! That was unexpected! Good thing Azurelight's Flash Fire kicked in though! And here I thought you going at me up close and personal... Guess I was wrong. But that doesn't matter now! Azurelight! Fire Bla-"

Faster than the flames could fly, the giant Furfrou swiftly cut the attack off. With unbelieveable speed, the canine lunges forward and swipes with its paw, much to the Solar's surprise.

_Pluto used Sucker Punch!_

_Azurelight fainted!_

"Woah! That's one fast Furfrou! Heh, you really are good! But I know what you're up to! Go, Infernape!"

As typical for the others of his team, the monkey made a flashy entrance, crying out to the sky, then punching the air about four or five times. Not unlike her trainer and fellow teammates, there is certainly no shortage of energy to go around. Fletchlings of a feather flock together, I suppose.

After the chimp finishes showing off, a devious knowing glint surfaces in Solar's amber eyes. A simian smirk appears in turn, totally in tune with the it's orange-capped master's intuition.

"A Furfrou using Flamethrower? ...Heh. Don't take me for a fool, now, butler man! Your Zoroark's illusions won't fool me any longer! Close Combat!"

You have to hand it to him, for all his many... ineptitudes, our protagonist is certainly a competent battle strategist... However, the wall-busting butler remains calm and confident, as evidenced by a subtle smile of his own. With inhuman agility, he reach for another Poke Ball from his suit.

_S Bastion withdrew Pluto!_

_S Bastion sent out Chandelure!_

_It doesn't affect Chandelure…_

The fired-up primate (the non-human one) phases right through the sentient chandelier, whose flames, in contrast to its now-fainted counterpart, instead burn with a vibrant orange hue. The teen with the matching colored hat stands in awe at the uniquely colored sight, as the dark-haired man politely takes a bow. The nasal-congested kid in the background watches on intently, pleased with his requested entertainment.

"Respectable strategy, but you are not the only one proficient at switch tactics, Solar."

"That was awesome! You really are a worthy opponent! Guess we gotta kick things up a notch then! Use Swords Dance!"

As if she needed to anymore, Infernape riles her self up in a a series of wild movement that sort of resemble jogging in place. The flames on head follow suit, growing even hotter, adding to the already intensifyed sunlight beating down. However the butler remains unperturbed.

"Will it be enough though?"

The butler's battler builds up a indigo-hued mass of pulsated, eerie energy that just screamed instability. All the while, it narrows its eyes in an expression that could be interpreted as devious, determined, or perhaps even... cute.

_Chandelure used Shadow Ball!_

Caught off guard, the flame-haired chimp is blown back from the impact. But despite the pained look on her face, she is far from ready to give up. For the first time, the dark-suited man appears to be surprised.

_Infernape hung on using its Focus Sash!_

"Oh yeah! Time to go on the offensive then!"

_Infernape used Shadow Claw!_

In a fiery blur, she rushes forward with a paw cloaked in shadows. Her foe attempts to dodge the the simian coup, but she's too fast. With the speed of her trainer on a sugar high, she uppercuts the chandelier straight in the under side of its head... body... bulb... Well, you get the idea.

_A critical hit!_

_Chandelure fainted!_

Despite the unexpected upset, S Bastion takes it in stride. "I must commend you for achieving a knockout. But this battle is far from done! Come back out, Pluto!"

Despite his Pokemon's dire condition, Solar is still as confident and smirk-y as ever.

"Now to take care of that "big dog" of yours, butler man! Close Com-"

_Pluto used Sucker Punch!_

Once again, the titanic canine swipes forward, faster than its foes reflexes could register.

_Infernape fainted!_

"Gah, almost forgot about that move!" The orange-capped adolescent cries out to the sky and grits his teeth in frustration, but he quickly recovers. "Oh well, not much I could've done about it anyway. I'm counting on you, Cloudburst!"

Not wasting a second, the butler, er, barks out his command "Pluto! Use Dark Pulse!"

The white-furred canine howled, releasing a humongous wave of dark energy. Even though the nature of the attack is ethereal, a gust of wind is palpable along with the hint of malicious intent. But even after taking the full brunt of the attack, the Ninetales still manages to remain standing, determined to strike back with a vengeance.

"Still up to that old trick? C'mon, Cloudburst! Let's light 'em up!"

_Cloudburst used Overheat!_

The giant canine then stumbles back as a torrent of searing flames surrounds it in a menacing ring of fire. It also starts to shrink down until it's about Solar's height, light shimmering and refracting off of it as it does.

_Zoroark's Illusion faded! Zoroark fainted!_

"Still wanted to bring out that Zoroark, huh? How 'bout you bring out the real deal, butler man!"

"Very astute, Solar. But now my victory is all but assured. Come out, true Pluto!"

Strangely enough, the real thing was just as large as its illusionary counterpart.

"OK! OK! Time out! Where'd you find such a gigantic Furfrou?! (...I want one...)"

The androgynous kid shoots out a look of irritation, which his servant immediately picks up on. "…It's a very long story, and I doubt my master would appreciate me going into detail at this juncture. I am about to win, after all."

With yet another smirk, the trainer goes forth with the confidence of the Pokemon depicted on his shirt. "Heh, guess we'll see about that! Cloudburst! Overheat!"

"Pluto! Retaliate!"

A copious amount of flames surround the kitsune, but that doesn't deter the dog from charging into said fireball of equal size, with an unnerving about of battle-induced rage in its eyes. Pluto is soon engulfed with flames, and a giant obscuring cloud of smoke spreads through the battle field. But in the end, the butler and his canine emerge victorious.

_Cloudburst fainted!_

The black butler recalls his Pokemon, showing no sign of losing composure. Solar, in the mean time, hangs his head in defeat, long hair covering his lowered eyes...

"…Heh heh heh…. HAHAHAHAHA!" …And soon erupts into maniacal laughter. "That was great! I haven't had a challenge like that in a long time! I didn't even mind losing that one! You sure are one heck of a battler! A battling genius, I dare say!"

"…No." The butler makes another cordial bow. "You see… I am merely one heck of a butler."

"…OK."

Now that the dust has settled, the eye patched child makes a few remarks. "That certainly was an amusing battle to watch. But as much as a rematch would be interesting to see, I have other matters to attend to at the moment. I still haven't even found that hero of Kalos I'm searching for… or had my dinner yet. Come, S Bastion."

"Yes, my lord."

With the Serene Grace of a Meloetta, the butler picks up his child master and leaps into the air, quicker than you can say "How the heck did you do that?!"

With his newest opponent off the scene, Solar slowly walks back through the Chateau, heading to the Pokemon Center to rest his exhausted team. But upon exiting the door, he finds himself face-to-face with someone familiar.

"Oh, it's you again."


	4. Natural Progression

_**Chapter 4: Natural Progression**_

"Hey! Long time, no see! Heh heh!"

"Sigh… Not long enough if you ask me. And before you say anything, I'm not battling you again, so don't ask."

Lo and behold, the monochrome girl and battle-happy boy once again cross paths. What a cosmically contrived coincidence. But in the wake of the his recent encounter with the battling butler, Solar is (for once) not seeking competition.

"Relax, I'm actually on my way to the Pokemon Center right now. Just battled this really strong guy and need to heal up! …So, what are you doin' here?"

Upon hearing these words, the girl is significantly relieved. Looks like she isn't going to have to resort to Sky Uppercutting the boy in the face after all.

"Like I said last time, I had some other business to attend to."

"Here at the Chateau?"

"Yes, does that surprise you?"

"A bit, yeah. Considerin' how much you tried to get away from me the last time, I didn't think you were that much into battling…"  
An indignant expression surfaces on the fedora-clad female's face.

"Well, excuse me! After getting caught in a bike crash and running all around the region's largest city, no person would be in the mood!"

"You can't say that! I still wanted to!"

"Let me rephrase that; any _normal_ person would not be in the mood. Now if you'd excuse me, I have an appointment to keep."

The monochrome girl starts to saunter off to the Chateau, but not before failing to evade one last inquiry.

"You know, I never got your name back there. Mine's Solar, in case you were wondering."

A brief pause hangs in the air while the girl ponders whether to share her moniker or not. Much to the relief of the boy, narrator, and possibly the readers, she decides to go against her better judgment and lets it be known.

"I'll probably regret this later, but fine. I go by the name Bijoux."

"French word for "jewels", huh? Nice name!"

"Oh yes, it means _so_ much hearing it from you, _Solar_. (Honestly, what were your parents thinking?) …But thanks anyway, I suppose."

With nary another word, the girl makes her way inside the building, while, the orange-capped adolescent rushes back to Camphrier Town's Pokemon Center. About a half-hour later, with his team of Fire-typed fighters all healed up, Solar once again sets out to find another worthy opponent.

As soon as he exits the center, he hears an interesting tune somewhere close by. The music starts off enigmatically creepy, but soon transitions into a more cheery and harmonious melody. It grows louder and then fades, as if the source of it is on the move. The first thought that passes through Solar's now-somewhat sane mind is "where can I get cool theme music like that?!" …Actually, scratch that sane part. In any case, the music appears to come from a mysterious figure walking past.

Said figure is significantly taller than our protagonist (though really, given his stature, it isn't really saying much), sporting a long scruffy ponytail made of green hair under a black-and-white cap. As if to further this entity's enigmatic nature, a Rubik's Cube is chained around this figure's waist. Given the unique appearance, Solar figures this person just_ has_ to be someone strong! And so the boy trails behind. Taking into account the whole debacle at Lumiose, the adolescent attempts the stealth approach, so as to not scare away his soon-to-be competition. Personally, this just seems to be a case of delaying the inevitable, but what do I know? I'm just a narrator.

The boy soon finds himself once again traversing down the path leading to Parfum Palace. Suppressing his usual hyperactive personality, Solar manages to remain hidden by ducking behind the several bushes lining the pathway. All appears to go smoothly until-

_POINK!_

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

A particularly ticked-off Venipede lands a very painful Poison Sting on the boy's backside. Sure that may seem pretty bad, but at least it could've been worse. It could've been a talking sword.

Meanwhile, his target takes notice of the ear-splitting scream and turns around. But seeing no probable source of the high-pitched yelp after a couple seconds, the green-haired figure resumes his original course. Undaunted, Solar continues his Pursuit, albeit with a significant limp. He keeps this up until his unsuspecting mark arrives in the palace's posterior garden, who then proceeds to utter some nostalgic words in front of a statue of Reshiram. The speaker simultaneously taps on the Rubik's Cube and the music apparently emanating from it changes to a more somber tune.

"This sure brings back memories… I wonder where you went, Hil. After every you've done for me, I just want to be able to thank you in person. That's the truth."

The green-haired man then makes his way over to the image of Zekrom further back.

"And you, old friend. How are things going for you? You certainly seemed to have resonated with that other Trainer with the crazy hair. What kind of adventures are you going on now?"

All the while, the orange-capped kid listens in, not understanding a single thing this man said. So he does what any battle fanatic with poison coursing through his veins would do.

"Hey there, green-haired guy! Why are you talking to those dragon statues?" He utters sentences that most people would never have the opportunity to say in their lifetimes.

"Oh, don't mind me, I was just thinking out lou-" The man turns around to see Solar's face, slightly tinged a sickly purple. "Uh, you don't look so good. You might want to see a doctor or something…"

"N-nonsense! I'm plenty good looking!"

"...Uh, that's not exactly what I-"

"In any case, I was hoping to battle! And as you can see, my team is rarin' to go!"

Solar sends out his Charizard, who in turn lets out an enthusiastic roar to prove the point.

"…Well, your Charizard certainly is ready for a fight. Unfortunately, I'm afraid I cannot oblige. Or rather, this one isn't really in the mood."

Bursting forth from the crystal clear moat behind Solar is a Gyarados, forcefully lifting its head out of the water. However, the sea serpent contradicts its species' ferocious reputation, sporting a strangely sad look in its eyes. It lets out a dejected whimper, revealing a bicolor stone resting in its mouth. The green-haired man then continues to speak.

"You see, he has gone through quite a traumatic experience little over a week ago. One moment, he remembers the walls and ceiling crumbling all around him. And he next, he finds himself in the hands of another trainer in a town filled with stones. Luckily, said person was a kind-hearted individual wanting to find him a good home. However, in the process, he found out that his former trainer of many years could no longer care for him, almost certainly dead due to the wall-crumbling event… The kind-hearted one who took him in then came across my path not too long ago. I was asked to care after this poor Gyarados in her stead and I willingly obliged. I plan to return him to his home soon, but for now, he just needs someone to comfort him. I'm hoping that reminiscing about my past here in this beautiful garden will help him recover."

It takes a few moments for this information to register in his poison-addled mind, but then, in usual Solar fashion, he asks yet another question.

"Wait a sec… How do you know all this?! You some kind of mind reader?!"

"Hmm? No, it's nothing like that. Gyarados just told me, that's all."

"Really?! You can talk to Pokemon?! That's so cool! How'd you learn to do that?!"

The green-haired man was about to share his own tragic tale, when suddenly a loud upbeat and sinister-sounding tune permeates the atmosphere.

"Night Slash!"

Out of nowhere, a Bisharp makes a swift swipe at the flying fire lizard, doing some considerable damage. The attacker is soon followed by three nigh-identical figures, each sporting the same dark gray midriff-bearing outfits and long white hairdos.

"We thought we'd find you here, N!"

"You three?! What're you doing here?!"

The center member of the trio spoke up alone. "It's high time you answered for your actions against him! Ghetsis took you in and raised you as his own, same as us! And yet you chose to betray him! After everything he did for you!"

The leftmost one continued, "You may not have been the one to defeat him, but your interference was what ultimately brought about his demise! You were the one who ultimately drove his mind mad! …And you were the one that ultimately killed him!"

The rightmost member gets in one last laconic declaration. "It's time for you to pay!

Before either cap-wearing trainer could express their confusion of the shadowy triad's statements, the attackers send out more of their combatants, one Absol and one Accelgor.

"Hey, I don't know who you guys are, but you can't just go around attacking everyone! C'mon Hyperion! Give 'em a… Heat… Wav-"

Solar is swiftly overcome with a light-headed feeling, making him fall to the ground. Apparently that Venipede's poisonous sting was taking its toll. Well, either that, or it's the world's most horribly-timed sugar crash. The orange-capped adolescent looks up, vision blurred, as the trio's Pokemon start wreaking havoc against his Pokemon and the greenery. Hyperion attempts to carry out his Trainer's order, but the opposition dodge it easily and counterattack. It seems that nothing in the vicinity is able to stop them now, until…

_RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAUUUUUUR!_

An high-pitched inhuman battle cry pierces the air. Leaping in from above with a flash of rainbow-colored light, a giant dark blue deer with X-shaped pupils makes an entrance. Upon closer look, Solar spot a familiar face riding on its back; it's none other than the fedora-clad female he had encountered twice already. But despite his curiosity, Solar can't stay aware for much longer. But before he slips completely into unconsciousness, one last thought goes through his orange-capped head. It actually has some semblance of sanity this time around.

"_Bijoux?! Just who in the world are you?!"_


	5. The Shining Jewel

**Author's Note: After more fresh retrospect, I thought this chapter needed a bit more. So please, read on the now-revised version!**

_**Chapter 5:**_ _**The Shining Jewel**_

"Who are you?!" The center member of the attacking triad is the first to speak at their new deer-riding foe.

"I should be ask you the same question! Just who do you think you are wreaking havoc like this?!" A raging anger shines through her blue eyes, rivaling even the piercing glare of her multi-antlered mount. "If you think that you three can just destroy anything you want you're sorely mistaken!" The gray-clothed girl gracefully leaps down to the ground below. "I've helped defend this region once already, and I'm more than prepared to do it again!"

"Hmph, big talk for a child. To have such grandiose bravado… It would be admirable if were not so foolish!" The left-hand member responds…

"How about you put your Poke where your mouth is!" …which the right-hand member continues.

"Get into battle formation!" With inhuman agility, the two join the middle member's side in a shadowy blur.

"Very well. If that's how it's going to be… I'll stop you here and now!"

_The Shadow Triad would like to battle!_

…And they certainly waste no time.

"Absol! Night Slash!"

"Bisharp! Iron Head!"

"Accelgor! Swift!"

A maelstrom of claws, spikes, and star-shaped projectiles flies at the indigo deer. However, neither the trainer nor her Pokemon show even the slightest trace of panic. "Let's show them your true colors!"

In an instant, the numerous antlers on the deer's head bloom into a vibrant spectrum, as a prismatic field of energy forms around them.

_Xerneas is absorbing power!_

Simultaneously, Bijoux reaches into her shoulder-mounted satchel and tosses up a sprig of a scarlet-hued plant at her battler's snout. "Take this!" And in a split-second, the deer snatches up the sustenance.

_Xerneas became fully charged due to its Power Herb!_

_Xerneas used Geomancy!_

In a ground-shaking shockwave, all three incoming assaults are effectively neutralized as the attackers are spectacularly blown back.

_The opposing Absol, Bisharp, and Accelgor flinched!_

The Shadow Triad is taken by surprise, just as blown away figuratively as their fighters were literally.

"Now, Xerneas! It's your time… to shine!

_Xerneas used Dazzling Gleam!_

A blinding barrage of lights shoots forth from its prismatic protrusions, bathing its foes in a flash of pink luminosity.

When the light level returns to tolerable levels, all of the Triad's fighters lay motionless on the grassy ground. The expressions behind the trio's silvery hair all display a dichotomy of crushing defeat and a desire for vengeance.

"It's over, you three. You've seen full well what the Life Pokemon is capable of. Just make it easier on yourselves and surrender peacefully."

"…Surrender?" The center member mutters the word nigh inaudibly. "Not while we have a purpose to fulfill!" With an anguished and reluctant sneer, the Triad's apparent leader raises both hands in a gesture reminiscent to Grenin-jutsu. "This is far from over!"

"Get back here!"

The disappearing blurs of three shadowy afterimages don't comply.

_The Shadow Triad fled!_

"Sigh… Just terrific."

…

"…What's going on?" The boy finds himself in what seems to be a dark tunnel. At the end of this corridor appears a light, constantly shifting through all colors of the spectrum. "A light? What's up with that? …Am I… dead? …No, it couldn't be…"

He wanders further toward the light, driven by some subconscious instinct. Slowly, but surely he draws ever closer, not really thinking, just doing (not that it's any different from how he usually does things). Soon enough, he finds himself face-to-face with the mysterious luminance. With a mixture of curiosity and trepidation, Solar tentatively reaches out his hand…

…And is swiftly met with a sharp pain on one side of his face.

_Bijoux used Wake-Up Slap!_

"OWWWWW! WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?!"

"See that? Sometimes the simplest solution is the best!"

"…If a bit painful. I don't think you really had to hit him that hard…"

Solar sits back up, face stinging from the sleep-breaking slap, still confused over what just happened. And as typical for the boy, more inquisitive queries flood forth from his mouth. "What happened to me? Where are the guys who attacked us? …And Hyperion! Ah! Is Hyperion OK?! Please tell me he's OK!"

"Don't worry, you can rest easy." The green-haired trainer gestured up to the sky. "He's just stretching his wings a bit after I patched him up." Right on cue, the flame-tailed flyer came into view, belting out a couple ecstatic roars while slicing through the skies.

"Phew… That's a huge relief! Thank you so much!"

While the boy settles back down, the monochrome girl takes her chance to speak up. "So, N, was it? How exactly did you manage to heal that Charizard of his? I didn't see you use any healing items back there."

"Oh that? Nothing special, really. Just something I've learned by living in harmony with these wonderful creatures. If you have the time, I could probably even teach you how. But what's really impressive is that Pokemon you battled alongside. The power of the legendary Xerneas is truly a sight to behold." Though clearly in awe of the X-eyed deer, N still casually strokes its lowered muzzle without batting an eye.

Upon hearing that statement, the orange-capped adolescent remembers his last thought pre-blackout. "Hey, hold on a sec! That's the legendary Life Pokemon?! How'd you manage to get a Pokemon like that?! I can't think of any way… Unless…"

Knowing her charade as just another trainer has fallen, the blonde decides to reveal her true identity. "Very well then, I guess there's no hiding it now. …My full name is Serena R. Bijoux and I am one of the five heroes of Kalos." For the first time in his life, Solar is rendered speechless, in no small part due to the fact that he had in fact battled one of the five saviors of the region. "Now, to answer your other questions, it seems you had a pretty nasty run-in with a Venipede. Luckily for both of us, I managed to have an Antidote and pair of tweezers on hand. Well, that, and Xerneas' Heal Pulse. As for that trio of thugs that attacked us, I handily dealt with the likes of them with the help of this deer you see here. They really aren't all that tough to deal with if you know what you're doing; the real challenge is stopping them from disappearing after defeat. In any case, that still leaves one thing unanswered… N, who were those people?"

The green-haired man once again took a more somber expression, with ambient music to match.

"It's a long story, but in short, those three are the loyal servants of Ghetsis: The Shadow Triad. Like me, they were taken in and raised up by that man back in the Unova region. But the truth was, we and the rest of Team Plasma were merely used as a means to further his own selfish ambitions. Though some of us did sooner than others, by the time all his plans had been well and truly foiled, we had all turned our backs on our previous actions. All of us, except them that is. No matter what anyone may say, those three remain fanatically devoted to him."

"Even after his death?"

"Apparently so, Bijoux. Or should I call you Serena? The one thing I don't get though is, last I heard of him, Ghetsis was still alive. I'm not really sure what happened in regards to that, nor what the Triad intends to do now."

The monochrome girl ponders N's words for moment and sighs. "Well, I guess it's absurd to think we'd get all the answers right away… But that still leaves us with three costumed mischief-makers wandering around to wreak havoc… Thankfully, I think I might know just the person that might be able to help us. Come with me, N…, Solar."

Without delay, the newly-formed trio traverse back down familiar paths, soon arriving at the gates of the region's largest city once more. The orange-capped trainer, not one to keep silent for long, attempts to strike up another conversation.

"So… Bijoux. Why'd you try to hide you identity anyway? I don't really get it, ya know! You're one of the 5 heroes, for cryin' out loud! If I were you, I'd walk around with my head held high!

An awkward quietness yet again passes through the air. That seems to happen a lot, for some reason.

"Well, no surprise there, I'd certainly expect those words from someone like you. But I'm not really like that. Sure, the parade was nice, but after everything that happened, I just felt that I wanted to have a fresh start. A new beginning. So I got a haircut, put together a new outfit, and started going by my last name."  
"But you saved countless lives! Why would you turn your back on something like that?"

Serena's gaze shifts downward slightly. "…Believe me, I have my reasons for obscuring my identity. But that's besides the point. You don't need all the fame and glory to be a hero. Just a desire to help people, and the will to take initiative towards that goal."

"…Wow, that's pretty deep. Guess that's why you're the hero."

Once inside the city's limits, the group makes their way through the labyrinthine streets of Lumiose, under the leadership of the fedora-clad female and without the pestering words of the orange-capped kid. …As long as you don't count the dozen or so "Are we there yet?"'s. They soon arrive in Rouge Plaza, somehow still sane, or in Solar's case, still un-punched-in-the-face, at which point, the jewel-surnamed girl leads them down a narrow cobblestone alleyway. She directs the two trainers in tow toward a tan-framed doorway.

"Hello again, Calem. It's me, Serena."

In the back of the room is a disheveled adolescent with dark hair. He's wearing a long-sleeved white shirt and wrinkled jeans, but no form of footwear whatsoever. To top it all off, this tussled-haired teen is sitting on a revolving desk chair, while munching away on a slice of cake. But despite his seemingly nondescript countenance, it's obvious that this Calem is no ordinary guy. That's because when I say "sitting", in this case, it means squatting on top of the cushion akin to a Froakie on a lily pad. His grip on the utensil he uses is also quite enigmatic; he holds it gingerly with his thumb and index finger, as if the spoon was sullied in some way. Upon hearing the girl's words, he turns his eyes upward and responds in a somewhat creepy monotone voice.

"You should be more careful about using our real names… That's why we have code ones. Needlessly revealing information to strangers could have… disastrous repercussions, you know. Need I remind you, Rainbow Antlers?"

Solar did his best to stifle a laugh, which was not very effective. "Pfft-haha! R-Rainbow Antlers?! "

The monochromatic girl gives a rather egregious eye roll. "Well, at least it was a step up from Tongue Scarf. I've stopped wearing scarves ever since."

The green-haired trainer, bewildered, asks, "Who exactly is this friend of yours? Was he always like this?"

"Well, long story short, the one you see before is another fellow Hero of Kalos. And as for his more… let's call it eccentric, qualities, they arose the day he got his code name-"

"Looker! That is what you must address me as!" Calem takes another bite of the scrumptious cake that appears to be setting off Solar's uncontrollable salivating.

"He was originally going to go with Bacon Wings, but given the real Looker passed him the baton after that Essentia case, he went with that."

Both Serena and N sigh with exasperation, but Solar is completely enthralled by this sweet-toothed agent, both out of his atypical aliasing routine and region savior status. But before he could about what his code name would be, the monochrome maiden explains to Calem all the events that transpired.

After hearing her account, the dark-haired detective bites down on his thumb and proceeds to spout some obligatory exposition that would hopefully shed some light on the wisest course of action.

"Ah, yes, the Shadow Triad. I've done my share of research on them. Slippery bunch, I'll give them that. Seriously, they help freeze an entire city solid and just disappear without a trace. I'm afraid not even my predecessor could succeed in tracking them down. If they are motivated with a desire to avenge their late master, it's likely they would try to bring his plans to fruition in his stead. Given Kalos's lack of giant asymmetrical ice dragons, the local Abomasnow population would be the next best thing." Calem rises from his chair and poses an inquiry from a nonchalant slouching posture, "Who's ready to head to Snowbelle City?"

Naturally, Solar responds in a manner befitting a hyperactive, Fire trainer.

"Man… I hate the cold…"

**Author's Note: And so the plot thickens… What sort of tasty narrative broth will this story turn into, you may ask? Just read on…**


	6. Santalunatic Respite

_**Chapter 6: Santalunatic Respite**_

It was about half an hour after they departed from the convoluted streets of Lumiose that the quartet of trainers arrived in the town of Santalune. They were on their way to Snowbelle City, the presumed location of the Shadow Triad, but despite the urgency of their mission, they somehow found the time to take a break at one of the local cafes. Undoubtedly, the sugary cravings of both Solar and Calem were to blame for this sidetrack.

Once the waiter had taken the group's orders of green tea, lemonade, creamer, and sugar-saturated coffee, the flame-haired trainer, talkative as ever, takes the opportunity to spark yet another conversation.

"So… Serena R. Bijoux, huh? Pretty name, but it's a bit of a mouthful… Can I just call you R?"

The monochrome girl sighs exasperatedly. "I'd say no, but I doubt that would stop you."

"Anyway, I was wondering… What are some of your other Pokemon! I mean, Xerny's pretty powerful, no denying that, but what about the rest of your team? Surely one of the five heroes of Kalos has a truly formidable force of fighters to back her up!"

"Well, they all are highly competent, but not really what you would call competitive. I've seen so many trainers out there, not unlike you, who's purpose in life is battling. Constantly obsessed with optimizing their battlers, spending every last modicum of their energy to make their team that little bit faster, that little bit stronger, that little bit better. I'm not like that. I see Pokemon for the beings they are and bond with them." N, sitting to her left nods silently in approval. Solar, on the other hand, is more audible with his thoughts .

"Trust me, I've seen those guys too, so focused on victory that they just stop having fun. But I don't see anything wrong with bettering your team's abilities. I've trained every single one of my team to be the best they can be, but it's not like I think of them as tools!"

"I can't speak to them like N here, but even I can tell that they like have you as their Trainer. So, yes, there isn't anything wrong with that. However, battling isn't everything you know. My Dragalge is a perfect example of that."

Serena grabs a Poke Ball from her bag and releases said poisonous sea horse… dragon thing. Strangely enough, it doesn't seem to have any problems being on dry land, instead just floating ever-so-slightly off the ground. The rest of the group listen on intently as she continues on.

"You see this girl here? She was given to me by a friend of mine back when I was just starting out my journey. Many people don't like using those of her kind because other Pokemon are "statistically superior", but she's been my side ever since she was a Skrelp."

Just then, the waiter returns to the table, bringing the bevy of requested beverages with him. The casually-dressed Calem quickly snatches his ultra-sweetened coffee with extreme speed. He then poses an inquiry to his fellow Kalosian hero.

"Oh yes, that's right, you told me about him before! I've been meaning to ask for a while, whatever happened to him?"

A momentary silence once again hangs in the air, as if to prelude an ominous and mysterious answer… but it doesn't.

"Well, last I heard of him, he said he was returning to his home in the Hoenn region. I actually plan on going myself, but the next available flight isn't until November. It seems like a lot of people are all of a sudden just itching to visit, which is weird. Ever since that Magma and Aqua incident about a decade ago, nothing really out of the ordinary has happened there. I just hope they don't rise up again like this Shadow Triad we ran into."

Sipping his creamer-filled cup, the flame-haired teen asks yet another question. "Sounds like you're quite familiar with the place. I take it you've been there before?"

"I have actually. Hoenn is my home region as well. ...Though strangely, he and I never actually met until arriving here in Kalos."

"Wow, that is strange! Heh, it's almost like you two were avoiding each other or something! How did you even manage that? Oh, wait! Better question! How good of a battler is he?!" …It should be obvious right now that the fiery trainer is once again all hyped up on sweets. Though reluctant, Serena decides to actually dignify the inquiry with a straight response.

"I'll admit, he's a pretty good battler, but when we first started our journeys, I'd kick his butt all the time. I must say, it was fun beating him down after every time he vowed to win! …But then he somehow obtained the Pokemon of Victory which he had been obsessed with for the longest time and proceeded to V-Create my entire team. In the face."

"Ouch. That's gotta hurt. But now I really wanna battle this guy! That settles it! Once this whole Shadow Triad thing is taken care of, I'm heading there as soon as possible! Heh heh, just wait. I'm coming for you, …uh… Hold on, what's his name?"

The monochrome girl pauses to think for a moment before speaking. "…Actually, that's a good question. For some reason, he never uses his real name, but with that crazy hat of his, he isn't hard to spot."

Immediately intrigued, the disheveled detective seems to have found a kindred spirit in the art of aliasing. "Ooh… Sounds like he's a man of many names! You never told me this before! Is he some sort of secret agent? What kind of monikers did he go by?"

"Well, the one I remember him telling me about was the one he used back in Hoenn. I kid you not, back then he went by-"

_KABOOM!_

A loud explosion emanates from the Santalune Gym, which instantly puts the group on high alert. However, the burst of resulting adrenaline dies down upon spotting a young trainer holding an unconscious Voltorb walking outside the remarkably unscathed building. Apparently someone was feeling a bit Selfdestructive.

"Well… there you go, I guess."

Solar, bewildered, asks, "What? I didn't hear what you said over the huge boom."

Once again, the gray-clothed girl sighs in exasperation, that for once, doesn't appear to be directed at the creamer-loving kid. "Well that's the thing, he actually went by the name 'KABOOM!'. He kept insisting that it was spelled in all capital letters and three silent exclamation points. …Yeah, he certainly was a peculiar one, not unlike you."

Serena lets out a nervous laugh, with both the hyper and eccentric trainers following suit, albeit more enthusiastically. The green-haired man with the green-hued tea, however, remains silent and contemplative. The flame-haired boy, not one to allow solemn moments to last very long, tries to cheer the quiet one up, wearing a joyful smirk.

"Hey there, you can laugh with us, too! We won't mind!"

"…Oh, I know. …It's just that hearing all this conversation just reminds me of the friend I had met before in Unova. I have no idea where Hil went, but hopefully one day we will meet again."

Not losing even a remote bit of his upbeat demeanor, the fiery trainer continues his encouragement. "You know what, N? I'm confident it'll happen! Seriously, you go and make this much effort trying to reunite with your friend, there's no way that it won't!"

"…You really think so, Solar? Truth is, I don't think that Hil even knows that I'm out on this journey, searching. I mean, I'm doing everything I can, but still… How can I be sure that my efforts aren't in vain?"

The hot-blooded and hyperactive adolescent then proceeds to display a surprising amount of profound wisdom, much to the disbelief of the group. "Ya know, the way I see it, if this person is really your friend, they'll know that you'd want to be with them. They'll know that you're trying your hardest to contact them again. I really don't know why this Hil just up and left, but you're friends, and from the sound of it, close ones at that. With a bond that strong, I have no doubt in my mind that you two will meet again!"

After some silence and perfunctory blinking, a small grin soon surfaces on N's face. "Thanks, Solar, I really needed to hear that. Guess I just need to keep on searching for a while longer." N takes one last sip of his tea, before standing back up. "But first things first, there's work to be done. I'm not about to let Ghetsis' influence ruin even more people's lives. The Triad needs to be stopped."

And on that note, the quartet of trainers treads forward once more, on their way to their snowy destination, much to the Pyroar-shirted boy's chagrin.

…_About ten minutes later, the waiter returns to the table when the group had sat to collect the tab. A fountain of rage wells up inside him, but soon fades away to subdued exasperation. _

"Sigh… Why does this sort of thing always happen…"


	7. Sidestory: Little-root of the Problem

**Author's Note: And now for something completely different! Now, now, I know what you're probably thinking, one, what bearing does this have on the story, and two, when will our heroes reach Snowbelle? Well, I can't answer that first one yet, you'll just have to wait. As for the second inquiry, rest assured that you'll hear from them again soon enough. However, Solar is having a massive sneezing fit at the moment and who knows what that'll end. But look at me now, I'm just rambling on, aren't I? Very well, enjoy the story!**

_**Sidestory: Little-root of the Problem**_

It's a warm, sunny day in the tropical environment of the Hoenn region. Barely a cloud in the sky, and barely a sound disturbs the serenity of the noonday scenery, save the distant barking of the occasional Poochyena. …Well, except for the dulcet sounds of a shouting match between two native trainers. Perfect weather for a conflict, wouldn't you say?

"Huh? Where are you going?!" Amidst the grassy landscape of Littleroot Town, a boy, wearing a hat that often gets mistaken for his hairstyle, outstretches his arm toward a girl.

Said girl responds back in rage, while storming off in the direction of the entrance to Route 101, where a certain professor has stopped many a prepubescent upstart several times before. "I've had enough of you! I'm going somewhere far away from this place! …Far away from you!" She takes a few steps forward and the hair-hatted boy attempts to give chase. But the girl turns back around to make one last comment before her departure. "I've known you for long enough to know the kind of person you are! So don't even think about trying to go after me! If I even catch a glimpse of you, I will not hesitate to use necessary force!"

The boy, for once in his young life, is momentarily rendered speechless. He then utters something in a subdued voice and pained tone. "…But why? After all this time… You're going to let it end like this?! I know I've said this so many times before, but I truly am sorry for everything I've done!"

"You brought this upon yourself! Don't you dare think that everything can be resolved with a little apology! Only a fool would ever believe something like that!"

"…So that's the way it is… I suppose… it was to be expected. …I guess this is goodbye then."

An immediate and unwavering "Yes!" echoes across the quaint town of beginnings.

As the girl walks off once more, another silence hangs in the air as the boy wonders what to do. After much thought, he eventually decides on dejectedly tossing a Poke Ball, in which contains a diminutive poisonous seahorse. "At the very least, take her. She's taken quite a liking to you, you know."

The girl begrudgingly accepts the thrown gift and places it by her side. "…Very well. But it still doesn't change a thing."

As the hot sun continues to beat down, the girl picks up the pace, first a brisk walk, then into a full blown run. Then boy stands motionless through all this, a torrent of thoughts and regrets flooding through his head. But as the girl goes off into obscurity, the boy thinks he spots a tiny glimmer of reflected light. Was it the glimmer of a single tear?

...

A half-hour passes by with the hair-hatted boy sitting on the warm grassy fields, staring at the blindingly bright horizon. As soon as he is confident that no one is around within earshot, he starts vocalizing his thoughts to himself.

"…I really messed up, haven't I… Man, I'm such an idiot! …If only I didn't act that way when we first met… If only I knew how she really felt all this time…" He repeats these statements several more times, none of which helps to improve his severely dampened mood. "…I don't know what to do anymore… I just wish…" He chokes back a few tears. "I just wish someone would help me…"

Just then a voice echoes in his mind, somewhat reminiscent to his own, at least in terms of prepubescent pitch. "Hey, can anyone tell me the quickest route to Lake Acuity? It appears I've taken a wrong turn at Mt. Coronet."

Immediately breaking the his contemplative state, the boy exclaims his considerable surprise. "HUNH?! Who is that?!"

A Pokemon resembling a pixie floats down quickly, hovering its gray and yellow-hued form directly in front of the boy's face. Though its eyes are closed, it carries out the action with grace and without blunder. "Well, what do we have here? A little boy, crying in the middle of a field? What's the matter, little guy? You got lost from your mommy?" Though its tone is mostly that of a curious bystander, there is the ever so slight tinge of mocking.

Naturally, the teary-eyed boy objects indignantly. "What?! No! That's not it at a-"

"Heh heh, no need to get that strange hat of yours in a twist, I overheard everything you were muttering to yourself. A bad breakup with your girlfriend, I take it?"

That inquiry is met with even more indignation. "WHAT?! NO! Where in the world did you get that?! …And just what the heck are you?"

Before responding, the yellow-headed pixie lets out a hysterical giggle (all transmitted telepathically, of course), doubling over into a backflip. "Heh heh heh! Oh, you humans are so fun to mess with! Hah… But in any case, I am none other than the embodiment of knowledge, the being of wisdom, Uxie! And believe me, I know exactly what's going on!"

"You know, I don't recall the being of wisdom ever described as being so… mischievous."

"Oh, that's just 'cause historians seem to get a kick out of idealizing the past. Seriously, one moment of heroic resolve, and you get branded as some clichéd boring entity who doesn't know how to have fun!" Uxie then goes into yet another energetic backflip. "But yeah, as I was saying, I know what's happening here: a friend very important to you left not too long ago because of something you did, and now you're here, wallowing in regret. Sound about right?"

"…Yeah. I know this probably a dumb question, but how'd you figure all that out? You read my mind or something?"

"Well I suppose I could have done that, but trust me when I say it's not all it's cracked up to be. I try to avoid doing it whenever possible." In lieu of shrugging its diminutive arms, Uxie makes a similar gesture with its two tails. "But yeah, between your little monologue and those faint footprints, it was pretty obvious. …Plus, if this girl was your girlfriend, you'd probably be spouting the word "love" about every other sentence. Personally, I leave all the mushy stuff to Mesprit."

The boy is dumbfounded by the pixie's spot-on precision. "…Wow, that's impressive. …But that really doesn't fix anything, does it…" The boy takes a deep breath to steady his composure and keep himself from choking up again. "Hey, Uxie, was it? If it's not too much to ask, think you could help me out? I messed up really bad, and it's obvious that she doesn't want to have anything to do with me. …But I still want the chance to be able to make it up her. I still want a chance at redemption, you know? …I really want a second chance to be the friend I should've been to her. Is there anything you can do?"

The being of wisdom ponders the notion for moment. "Well, traveling back in time for a do-over would be the ideal solution, but alas, that's Dialga's area of jurisdiction. Completely out of my purview. What I can do is manipulate memories. Erase 'em, put new ones in, the works. …If you want, I could track down this friend of yours and remove any bad memories of you."

Suddenly and abruptly, the offer is met with a loud "NO!" It's enough to make the yellow-hued pixie shudder in surprise. "No! You can't do that! It just… wouldn't be right!" The boy takes a deep breath to calm down. "…But I think you can still help me with that ability of yours. …Erase _my_ memories, Uxie."

The pixie tilts its head to one side. "So, that's your plan, huh? …I see. I must say, that's far from a wise decision. Removing your memories will accomplish nothing. Think about it! Trying to escape from your past won't fix anything."

"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT?!" The boy's loud objection is enough to silence the distant noises of the Poochyena population. Once again, Uxie is taken aback by the burst of emotion. "…You think I'm not already aware of that? Look. I'm not trying to escape from anything. I'm looking for a fresh start. I could disguise myself easily, but hiding my personality is another matter. Sooner or later, I'm bound to slip up."

The pixie lets out another tail-shrug. "Hmmm… A bit of an extreme solution, but it makes sense, I guess. However, have you thought this through completely? How do you even know that the amnesiac version of you is going seek out a girl from an unremembered past?"

The boy responds with a look of sheer confidence. "Call me crazy, but I have a feeling I'll still find myself drawn to her in some way. After all, it's happened once before, it can certainly happen again."

"Hmm… It's pretty risky, but not entirely out of the realm of possibility. But have you thought of the outcome? Even if you manage to be her friend again, what good would that do? Without anything prior memories, wouldn't it just be a hollow victory?"

It takes significantly more time, but the boy ultimately answers back. "…No. It wouldn't. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I want the chance to be the friend I should've been to her before. Whether I remember or not has no bearing on that. As long as that comes true, I'll be just fine."

Uxie ponders the statement… and lets out another little giggle. "Heh heh heh! Humans really are interesting! From an objective standpoint, this has got to be either a stroke of pure genius or an act of unparalleled idiocy! But at the same, I can see you're determined to see this through, and I'm not even Azelf! …Very well, I'll help you out, kid! …So how are we gonna do this? Are you ready now, or do you need a bit more time to say farewell to your old self?"

"Not quite yet, Uxie. I still need something else first. I need to make sure I'll chart a course for the region's she's headed to. Think you can do that?"

"Oh yeah, sure! No problem! Just gimme the name!"

"Kalos. She's going to the Kalos region." The boy pulls out and unfolds the appropriate map from his pocket in front of the yellow-hued pixie. "Given it's the home region of that Pokemon I gave her, it's by far my best bet."

With both its tails, Uxie gives a playful salute. "Gotcha. Heard you loud and clear! While you're at it, anything more memories you need for me to implant in that brain of yours?"

"Just make sure she won't know it's me. Make me an idiot for all I care! I'll leave it up to your discretion."

"Ok then. …Now, if you're all set, just look straight into my eyes."

The embodiment of knowledge opens up its eyes just as the boy utters one last sentence. "…I just sure hope that all this will work out."

"For your sake, kid, I wish the same."

Then everything went blank.

...

"ACHOO! ACHOO! ACHOO! I-it's f-f-f-freezing!"

In the midst of Solar's sneezing fit, Serena can't help but try to divert her attention elsewhere to retain her sanity. It eventually settles onto a Poke Ball by her side, the same one housing the Dragalge she shared by in Santalune. Quietly and under her now-visible breath, she takes a moment of reverie.

"Given to me by friend I first met in Kalos… The more I say it, the more I wish it was true. I don't hold anything against you, girl, but still… I wish you didn't always have to remind me of the past…"


	8. For Whom the Snowbelle Tolls

_**Chapter 8: For Whom the Snowbelle Tolls**_

"...Are you finally done sneezing?"

"ACHOO! …I think so, a-at least for now… M-Man! I h-hate this weather! I'm freezing my butt off here…"

It should be apparent by now that this motley quartet has finally set foot in the white fields of Snowbelle City. In the early afternoon sun, the reflective shine is beautifully and blindingly bright. The architecture is no different, the snow-covered rooftops doing their part to lighten up the landscape. But all of this is lost on this group, especially the monochromatic girl, sufficiently annoyed from the rapid-fire barrage of sneezes. Any tact left in her stressed mind goes out the window, as she wastes no time in berating the boy's ignorance. "Honestly, it's your fault! You knew where we were headed, and yet you didn't bother to change into a coat! For crying out loud, you could have at least layer up a bit like what N's wearing."

"Well, excuse me for being a warm weather person, R!"

"Ugh… I know said this before, but please don't call me that." After breathing out yet another sigh of exasperation, the fedora-clad female gets back to the pressing matter at hand. "OK then, we're here at Snowbelle City, just as you requested, Calem. Thankfully I don't see any sign of destruction here, but they could still be in the area. What do you say we ask around a bit?"

"First off, it's Looker, Rainbow Antlers. And as for your question, I do believe that would be helpful." Calem points out his index finger like an ace attorney. "Move out, team!"

The four trainers split up and ask the city's denizens about any info on the Triad they're chasing. After about ten minutes and several Solar sneezes later, they regroup in front of the Pokemon Center.

"…So, did any of you find out anything useful?"

"With regards to the Triad's whereabouts, nothing unfortunately, Serena."

"W-well… I think I found a way to stop snee- ACHOO! …Never mind."

"Alas, even I, Looker, could not gather much info from the townspeople. However, I believe that I know everything I need to now."

Intrigued, the group listens on intently as the intrepid investigator shares his thoughts.

"Well, first… The people in this city make a mean cup of hot cocoa!" Cue cliché anime-style pratfall. "And as for our elusive trio's whereabouts, the Lost Woods near here are probably a good place to look, considering their secretive nature."

"Probably?" Serena raises an eyebrow. "How sure are you about this?"

"Oh, I'd say it's about a 7% chance."

"ACHOO!" This time, the orange-capped trainer's sneeze echoes loudly throughout the chilled air, loosening some precarious balanced snow off in the distance, as well as doing nothing to improve the blond girl's mood. "…That's awfully low, j-just like the temperature out here… Is that even worth pursuing?"

"Yes, it most certainly is! We must pursue any possibility; so long as it's not 0% we must go after it with all we've got." Though his vocal inflection was the usual low-key, semi-monotone, the enthusiasm the disheveled detective has is as glaringly apparent in his visage as the sleep-deprivation induced bags under his eyes. Seriously, the guy must have a bad case of Insomnia. Well either that, or he has a Vital Spirit.

"…Well, I suppose it's something, Cal- er, Looker. So, if everyone's ready, then let's get down to business."

A short snowy saunter later, the group is soon in front of the entrance into the labyrinthine forest, leaving the snow-covered landscape made by the local Abomasnow. But before they step foot in the woods, Calem stops them, raising out his arm. "Hold on! I think our wisest course of action would be to split up into pairs. Not only will we cover more ground that way, but even if one pair gets lost, not everything is. But don't worry, I doubt that will become a problem."

The green-haired trainer then speaks up. "OK then, that still leaves the matter of who's going to be with who."

"Simple. Rainbow Antlers, you're with me; Solar, you go with N. Now, let's do this!" The fedora-clad female is decidedly relieved by this course of action. The crazed and sneezing antics of the orange-haired kid would not allow her sanity to remain intact for much longer. Upon arrival in the first clearing, the pair with oddly-colored hair take the western route, and the two Kalosian heroes take the one to the south.

Having toured the entire region in their heroic journeys, Calem and Serena have no problem navigating through the forest, searching out every possible hiding place, and avoiding any re-treading of old ground. The disheveled detective, enthralled with the new investigation, decides to speak his mind.

"Heh heh. Less than a week since I solved the Essentia case, and now I've got another mystery to figure out! Isn't this great, Rainbow Antlers?"

Serena, in typical fashion, lets out another sigh. "Calem, you can stop talking like that already. It's just us two right now; there's no need for those stupid codenames. To be honest, it gets grating after a while."

Her fellow savior of the region hunches down, as if all the air had been let out of him. He then answers back without the monotone he exclusively used before. "Well, what can I say, holding the title of world's greatest detective is pretty fun. I just want to savor it while it lasts! …But I get it, you've had to put up with enough craziness for one day. …I gotta admit, that Solar character's certainly a handful to deal with, even for me! He's definitely more eccentric than I could ever hope to be!"

"For that, at least, I'm grateful."

Placing his hands behind his head, the sweet-toothed hero poses an inquiry to is deadpan friend. "So… There's something I want to know. What's your take on this guy?"

"Well, first and foremost, I just have to say… the kid is unbearable! Hyperactive, idiotic, just a plain nuisance! You of all people should know that there's only so much of that I can take! It drives me crazy!"

"…So, you're saying you hate him?"

The golden-haired girl has a moment of hesitation before responding. "…I'm not saying that. I'm not a big fan of how he seems to be in his own little world or how he runs his mouth every five seconds, but I wouldn't go so far as to call him a bad kid. He's just… so naïve and straight forward."

"You know, there's nothing inherently wrong about either of those things. And if I recall, you said before how he was a lot like your friend back in Hoenn. Why would that be bad?"

The leaves underfoot seem to crunch extra loud as the monochromatic girl falls silent. After a few awkwardly quiet moments, the casually-dressed Calem feels compelled to lightly clasp her shoulder.

"…Hey, Serena. Is something wrong?"

Her silence persists.

"…If there's something on your mind, feel free to say it. You can trust me. …I mean after all, we did save the world together."

"…I appreciate your concern, but I just don't feel like talking about it right now."

The tussled-haired teen immediately realizes the situation and lets go of the girl's shoulder. "I understand. I'm not going to pry. …But just remember, I'm here for you if there's anything you need."

"…Thanks, Calem, but I'm fine. Really."

Sunlight filters through the verdant foliage of the forest canopy as the pair steps foot into another clearing, providing a modicum of refreshing warmth to the Kalosian heroes.

"…Now, if I'm not mistaken, we've got a trio of ninjas to track down. Shall we get a move on… Rainbow Antlers?"

Serena once again lets out a sigh, only this time with a subtle smile on her face. "Whatever you say, Looker."

_Meanwhile_…

"ACHOO! ACHOO! …ACHOO! Man… I'm still c-cold…"

"Really? We've been out of the snow for a while now. I personally find it pleasantly cool."

"S-speak for yourself! …That's it, I've had it! C'mon out, Roarstrike!"

As quickly as his shivering hands can manage, Solar brings out his conflagrating canine companion. Without losing a second, the boy jumps on its back and nestles his head into the big dog's thick furry mane.

_Solar used Nuzzle! Solar is now feeling warm and fuzzy!_

"Aaaah… Much better…"

Solar and N have been wandering around the forest have been wandering for about half-an-hour now, and their search for the Shadow Triad remains fruitless. Within this span of time, the duo had found themselves going around in circles. Perhaps that is due to the fact that, despite being a native Kalosian, Solar is completely clueless in navigating these woods. Is there anything this kid can't _not_ do?

"…Well, I guess that's one way to warm up. …But that still doesn't change the fact that we've been getting nowhere fast."

"W-wait… Are you saying we're lost?!" Once again, the orange-capped adolescent feels the urge to blurt out the obvious.

"Yes. Yes it does. But I think I might have a solution."

The green-haired man reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small jar of Honey. He unscrews the cap gently and allows the sweet scent to waft its way through their surroundings. In practically no time at all, five Trevenant come out of the, er, woodwork.

_A horde of wild Trevenant appeared!_

Upon the sight of the horde of sentient trees, Solar's first instinct is to engage them in battle, but N quickly gestures for him to stand down.

"Don't worry, this is all part of the plan." With those words, the man who can speak to Pokemon returns his attention to the newly summoned horde. "It appears we've gotten ourselves a bit lost. Can you tell me how we can get a certain place? A place where humans have gone."

A cacophony of noises reminiscent of revved-up chainsaws echo through the cool forest air in response.

"I see. Thank you all for your help!"

Just as suddenly as they appeared, the ambulant grove retreats back into obscurity, with hardly a sound.

"So… What'd they say, N? Ya got any idea where this Triad is?"

"Well… four of them gave directions, and the last one complimented my hair. But as for our fugitives… not exactly. Or at least, I hope not."

The flame-haired trainer sits up from the warm blanket of fur, bewildered. "What do you mean by that?"

"I know tracking down the Triad is our top priority, but there's something else that I'm looking for."

"And what is it exactly?"

It's at this moment that the green-haired man's face lights up with glee and anticipation. "Well, when I was asking around town, I heard rumors of a village, inhabited only by Pokemon. A kind of Pokemon paradise, if you will. The Gym Leader Wulfric was said to visit every so often, but he was tight-lipped on the exact location. I understand why he would keep this information a secret, but I nonetheless wish to see this place with my own eyes before we leave here! …I just hope the Triad don't ever find it. Who knows what havoc they could cause!"

"Yeah… I see your point…" For once, Solar's expression is a serious one. But of course, it doesn't last very long. This is Solar, after all. "In any case, this place you're talking 'bout actually sounds kinda cool! I don't mind a little sidetrack! Lead the way, N!"

On that note, the colorful pair follow the directions given by the living trees to the fabled village utopia. (…Wow. I must say, I narrate the weirdest sentences sometimes.) In less than half the time they spent wandering in circles, both the orange and green-haired trainers arrive at their new destination.

Tall yellow flowers with verdant stems line this landscape, with the occasional roofed structure strewn about. A waterfall crashes down from above, feeding into a peaceful river, letting out a calming sound. And all around, several species of Pokemon happily frolic about without a care in the world.

…Those words would describe the place… ten minutes ago.

Instead, the once-lush fields have been set ablaze, the parts closest to the center already burnt to a crisp. The roofed structures, once the resting places for Snorlaxes, have been toppled, if not outright turned to splinters. The serene stream had been mostly evaporated, save for a few small, pathetic puddles. And the once-carefree inhabitants were scattered throughout, all injured to some degree. Out of all of them, a light purplish-pink Pokemon laying unconscious in the midst of the singed flora seems to have suffered the worst. Needless to say, the only humans present are taken aback at the scene that lay before them.

"W-who… Who could've done this?!" N runs ahead to its side. Even while trembling with shock, he sticks out his hands in an attempt to heal its injuries, while Solar watches on helplessly and speechless. As the battered Pokemon's wounds start to fade, it slowly, but surely regains consciousness. It blinks its eyes a couple times, bringing a relieved smile to the healer's face. But that smile quickly fades after what happens next.

_Fwooo…_

N suddenly finds himself levitating about three feet off the ground as the Pokemon raises a three-fingered paw.

_? used Psychic!_

He is then flung through the air at high speeds, before ultimately slamming into a cliff.

_CRASH!_

"H-hey… Stop… I'm only trying to help you… It's the truth!" N attempts to plead his case to his newly-healed attacker, despite his own disoriented state. However, his pleas are to no avail as both he and Solar hear these words echo inside their minds.

"The truth, you say? …The truth… is nothing but LIES!"

Now standing up, it's apparent that the Pokemon is humanoid in form, with a giant purple tail waving furiously. The creature, with an angry look in its cat-like eyes, scowls while summoning forth several clumps of high-intensity, rainbow-colored psychic energy. With a sweeping motion of its paw, the balls of light fly unnervingly fast at the dazed trainer. They come about a foot from connecting to their unfortunate mark, when…

_WHAM!_

Roarstrike valiantly leaps into the psychic strike's path and intercepts it at his trainer's behest. With a confident glint in his canine eyes, the fiery dog shakes it off with relative ease. Solar, without a moment's hesitation, shares that same confidence.

"Hey! If you're gonna hurt him, you'll hafta go through me!" With piercing gazes, the foes now lock their eyes determinedly.

_A wild Mewtwo appeared!_

**Author's Note: Ha ha! Looks like things are getting serious! We're finally getting some action again! But to those out there who are fans of comedy, worry not. There'll still be plenty of snarky narration and quirky characters to go around! So stay tuned and give some feedback!**


	9. Cats and Dogs

_**Chapter 9: Cats and Dogs (and Maybe a Nine-Tailed Fox)**_

"Hey, Calem, there's something I've been wondering…"

"Yeah? What exactly?"

"That whole code name thing. How come you didn't assign any to those two?"

"Solar and N, you mean? Easy. The name our green-haired guy goes by is obviously an alias, or at the very least a nickname. No need to fix what isn't broken! And as for Solar, well… With a name like that, even if it is real, no one would ever believe it!"

"You certainly have a point there."

The soft and serene chuckles of the two Kalosian heroes echo through the trees as the pair continues traversing through the leaf-covered landscape. However, this moment of levity is suddenly broken by a sharp "POP!" From the waist of the disheveled detective, a Pokeball bursts open, taking both he and his fellow hero by surprise. In a flash of light, a quadruped creature appears with stark-white fur and a jet-black, crescent moon-shaped horn. It lets out an urgent cry, blade-like tail on high alert.

"Huh?! Calamity?"

"What's going on? What's your Absol doing out and about?"

"Well, he's figured out the Pokeball's inner mechanics. What can I say, he's a sharp one." The tussled-haired teen then immediately loses all semblance of lightheartedness in his visage. "But Calamity only breaks out for good reason. The fact that he's showing up can mean only one thing… We need to hurry!"

"Right!"

"Lead the way, Calamity!"

The two trainers and astute Absol run off further into the Lost Woods as fast as they possibly can, knowing nothing of the future except that disaster lies ahead. The concerned, chainsaw-like voices of the lurking Trevenant seem to concur.

_Meanwhile_…

"Flare Blitz!"

"RRRRRRR-RAAAARC!"

With a loud bark, the orange-furred canine picks up speed, fiery gaze set on the feline foe before him. Intensely hot embers well up from his thick mane, quickly pooling into one large wall of flame as the Arcanine slams headfirst into his opponent. The violet-tailed cat is left no time to react.

_WHUMP!_

As was the case with the conflict with Serena's Sylveon, an obscuring cloud of dark smoke fills the air at the moment of impact. Confident, Solar looks on expectantly as a brief silence arises. …But also like that aforementioned conflict, things don't exactly go to plan.

"Hunh?! Roarstrike?! Are you O- AAAAAAACK!"

_WHUMP!_

_Roarstrike involuntarily used Body Slam on Solar!_

When the cloud dissipates , the purple-hued pugilist is surrounded in a pristine, translucent sphere.

_Mewtwo used Barrier!_

"Pathetic!" The word is telepathically conveyed with a wrathful, red-eyed scowl.

As for the person in the Pyroar shirt, he finds himself pinned down to the ground by approximately 300 pounds of fuzzy dog. The embers from his companion's mane hadn't been completely extinguished, so he ends up with a few burns across his pale body and a couple singeing holes in the left leg of his black cargo pants. Not exactly the best method for tanning, in my opinion.

"Unnnh…. Ow…. I wasn't expecting that…."

"Solar! You OK?!" The green-haired man manages to shout out his concern, despite suffering from what must be at least a moderate concussion.

"Y-yeah, I guess… I'm still alive, aren't I- Nngh!" A wince of pain easily contradicts his sentiments. "H-hey, Roarstrike, ya mind getting up?"

In an instant, the canine rises up on all four paws, eyes tinged with remorse over where he ended up landing. His trainer follows suit, albeit slower and shakier, and gives a reassuring pet on the mane.

"H-heh. Don't worry 'bout me, buddy, I can keep goin'! You still up for another round?"

Without any hesitation, the Arcanine howls in agreement.

"Heh heh! All right then!" As per the usual, the orange-haired kid once again makes one of his signature smirks. "Roarstrike! Show 'im your Wild Charge!"

Like his last attack, Solar's conflagration-capable companion charges ahead, except with bright yellow sparks arcing all across his fur in lieu of fire. However, his feline foe now has more than enough time to react. Just before the fuzzy mass of electricity makes contact, Mewtwo swiftly sidesteps the attack…

_Roarstrike's attack missed!_

…And proceeds to send forth another barrage of high-powered balls of prismatic psychic energy from about 5 feet in the air,

_Mewtwo used Psystrike!_

"Watch out!"

Unfortunately, Solar's words are to no avail as the ethereal assault impacts full force. However, though visibly worn down, Roarstrike shows no intention of giving up.

"Heh. You're pretty fast, purple cat guy, I'll give you that. But I bet you won't be able to outrun this!"

A mind-penetrating "Is that so?" echoes in response.

"Extremespeed!"

In a split-second, the orange-maned dog is several feet from his former position, heading straight for Mewtwo's face. But curiously, that same face remains calm, perhaps even… smirk-y.

A blinding burst of luminosity shines from the "purple cat guy", requiring both oddly-haired trainers to shield their eyes. A loud noise rising in pitch accompanies the burst of light, as if something is charging up rapidly. A few moments later, the light dies down to a bearable level and they can see that this fearsome feline has just metamorphosed into something… well… almost cute. Mewtwo's body has shrunk slightly, making it more closely resemble the original Pokemon from which it was cloned. Its impressive, flowing tail has somehow migrated to the back of its head, making it now reminiscent of N's scruffy hairstyle.

_Mewtwo has Mega Evolved into Mega Mewtwo (Y)!_

The canine who just tried rushing at it head on is now floating helplessly at its eye level, completely at its mercy. All his trainer can do at this point is watch, as N, who's somehow still capable of forming coherent sentences, poses an inquiry.

"W-why… Why are you attacking us?! We only want to help you!"

"Help me? HELP ME?! You really expect me to believe that?! You humans… It was your kind that brought about my existence for your own selfish desires! After everything that happened since my birth in the region you call Kanto, I wanted to get as far from your so-called civilization as possible! I set off on a journey to find a place I could truly call home. But try as I might, everywhere I went, there was always some form of strife, some great calamity set off by the hands of your kind wearing ridiculous costumes! …However, after years of traveling, I happened upon this place hidden deep in a labyrinthine forest: a veritable paradise. A place only inhabited by my fellow Pokemon. A place devoid of any destructive depravity. A place unfrequented and untainted by the presence of humanity!"

With another swipe of its tri-fingered paw, the crimson-eyed cat sends Roarstrike crashing down hard to the singed forest floor, a few feet away from the canine's orange-capped master.

"Roarstrike! Roarstrike! You OK, buddy?!" Solar immediately runs to his companion's side, as the man with the scruffy ponytail speaks up once more.

"But what about Wulfric?! He has shown nothing but kindness to the residents of this village! He even built the shelters for the Snorlax that stood here!"

The feline's scowl fades momentarily into a face of slight bewilderment.

"I know naught of this man of which you speak."

"…Really? Big guy, blue coat, kind of looks like a Beartic? You've never seen him before?"

"No. Can't say that I have."

"But he comes here pretty often from what I've heard! Have you been living in a cave all this time?"

"As a matter of fact, I have! …And for the record, it's much nicer than what one may think! …But that's beside the point." The scowl on Mewtwo's face quickly returns. "The bottom line is that this Wulfric person isn't here! Where was he when that human child commanding a white dragon burned this paradise down, huh?! Where was he when the river that flowed here dried up from the heat?! Where was he when my fellow Pokemon scattered about, trying to escape the flames?! If this man is as altruistic as you make him out to be, he would have never allowed this sort of thing to ever happen!"

Still by Roarstrike's side, Solar takes the opportunity to speak his mind. "So that's why you're attacking us?! Because this one guy we've never even met destroyed the place?! I'm no expert on all this philosophical stuff, but even I know that you can't blame all this on us! For cryin' out loud, you wouldn't even be awake if N here didn't help you out! Can't you see that not every single human's a monster?!"

"Hmph! Say what you will, I've know the _real_ truth all too well: humanity is deplorable. And I may not be able to rectify the problem, but I can at least protect these last vestiges of hope for the world from the likes of you!" Once again, several rainbow-colored spheres of energy form around the purple-hued pugilist.

"So… You won't listen to reason… Guess I've got no choice then." The orange-capped trainer recalls his canine companion, long hair obscuring his eyes… "…Guess I got no choice but to beat some sense into you!"

In a fiery second wind, Solar swiftly unleashes another one of his blazing battlers.

_Solar withdrew Roarstrike!_

_Solar sent out Cloudburst!_

The nine-tailed fox appears once more, golden fur glistening and numerous tails waving. She lets out a determined and dulcet howl at the sky, as the atmosphere around grows much warmer.

_Cloudburst's Drought intensified the sun's rays!_

However, as tempting such a scene would be to admire, there is certainly no time to waste as Mewtwo's ethereal assault flies toward the two at unnervingly high speeds.

_Mewtwo used Psystrike!_

"C'mon Cloudburst! You've got this!" As the prismatic spheres draw ever closer, the Ninetales' trainer shouts out words of encouragement. But clichéd as it may seem, it actually appears to have marked effect.

_Fwip!_

One ball zooms by, gracefully dodged.

_Fwip!_

Another follows suit, forming a small impact crater in the dirt, but does no damage.

_Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!_

Yet another wave of energy masses fly by, all artfully avoided by the kitsune.

_Fwip! Fwip! Fw-fw-fw-fw-fw-fw-fw-fwip!_

In a dazzling dance of golden fur, Cloudburst dodges sphere after sphere, with all the serene grace of a certain battling butler. From N's vantage point, it's almost as if the vulpine combatant has multiplied herself. Truly a sight to behold. …Either our scruffy-haired spectator is experiencing concussion-induced hallucinations, or…

_Cloudburst used Double Team!_

Ah yes. That makes much more sense.

"Nice going! Now it's time to strike back! Overheat!"

From her relatively diminutive muzzle, a huge fountain of flames shoots forth, completely engulfing her feline foe under the blazing heat of the intensified sun. Once again, a dark, opaque cloud of smoke surrounds the impact zone.

"Had enough, purple cat guy?!"

The smoke clears, once more revealing the vengeful violet-tail. But unlike before, it's covered in painful-looking singe marks. Under its feet appears to be a melted half-dome of a floating glass-like substance.

_Mewtwo used Barrier!_

_It's not very effective…_

"Ha! Not all that good against a special attack like this, now is it?! What do you say to that, huh?! Care to give up now?"

Needless to say, Mewtwo is visibly drained after sustaining the full brunt of the flames. But despite its condition, the feline remains as adamant as ever. "Give up, you say? …Never!"

Another burst of light emanates from the burnt-up battler, albeit not quite as bright or noisy. When the light dies down again, it reveals that Mewtwo has metamorphosed yet again. This time, it's nowhere anything that would fit the traditional definition of cute. Its body is once again at normal size, or perhaps even a bit taller. Its forearms and legs have grown significantly in size, with very distinctive muscular bulges. A thick pair of purple shoulder ridges also appear, somewhat akin to armor.

_Mewtwo changed Forme to Mega Mewtwo X!_

"I'll never surrender so long as I can still fight! Take this!" Dropping like a meteor, Mewtwo targets the golden-furred vulpine, fist first. Around said fist is an enigmatic aura of mysterious energy.

_Mewtwo used Drain Punch!_

With hardly any time to move out of the way, the fist connects full force, creating an impact crater underfoot its target, while simultaneously sapping the fox's energy. Some of the burn marks across the feline's form begin to fade.

"Woah! I had no idea you still had that much fight left in you! I must say, you're the single toughest opponent I've faced, purple cat guy! But this is far from over! Cloudburst! Solarbeam!"

Above the fox's head, a ball of sunlight pools, grows, and then unleashes in a searing, shining stream. But strangely enough, the beam's intended recipient does nothing to get out of its path. Instead, the crimson-eyed cat literally charges head-on, as energy builds up around its cranium.

_Mewtwo used Zen Headbutt!_

The kinetic kitsune is blown back quickly and forcefully directly into the same cliff that caused N's concussive encounter. She lands less than a foot away from the scruffy-haired spectator. As was the case with her canine predecessor, Solar hurriedly rushes over to her side.

"CLOUDBUUUUURST!"

Upon closer inspection, he can see that the poor fox has been knocked out cold. After a reassuring "You'll be OK! Just hang in there a bit longer!", the orange-haired trainer recalls his vulpine companion.

_Cloudburst fainted!_

"Well, well, it appears you should be the one giving up now. What say you to that?"

Despite fighting what now seems to be a losing battle, another signature smirk surfaces on Solar's face. "The same thing you said. Never!"

He grabs yet another Poke Ball from around his waist and lets loose its contents. This time around, it's a horned Rottweiler with pitch-black fur. Its back is lined with ridges reminiscent of bone and arrow-shaped tail pointed skyward. On the canine's chest is a bony mask-like growth, in which a bicolor stone is firmly lodged. Fiercely gazing at his feline foe, the Houndoom stands tall, only slightly smaller than his short-statured trainer.

_Solar sent out_ _Duke!_

"Another one under your subjugation? I should have known…." Yet again, a deluge of prismatic psychic spheres forms around the purple-hued pugilist. However, they number at least three times as much as the previous salvo. "If you insist on persisting, then so be it!"

With a thrust of muscular paw, the barrage flies frighteningly fast toward its black-furred mark…

_Mewtwo used Psystrike!_

And the sound of a large explosion reverberates through the forest…

_Meanwhile…_

_BOOM!_

"Huff… huff…" The two Kalosian heroes are running in a full-on sprint, under the leadership of the crescent-horned Calamity, when the explosion's sound reaches them. The disheveled detective's sense of urgency is only the more heightened as his breaths grow heavier and steps slower. "Haah… haah… d-did you hear that?!… We need to get to get to what ever disaster's going on… and quick! Who knows what sort of havoc's being wreaked right now!"

"I know that, Calem! But we don't exactly have a lot of options here! All we can do is pick up the pace and keep going!"

"Haah… Actually… there might be… a better way…" With a sweating, exhausted hand, the panting pursuer grabs a purple Poke Ball from his belt. A pink-colored M is imprinted on the top half. "Come on out, Primether!"

Instantaneously, a giant black bird with a crimson underbelly appears on the scene. While taking roost on the forest floor, it lets out also lets out a piercing cry, splitting the air around them. "GREEEEEEEEEE-AAAAAAAWWWK!"

"Really?! You're bringing him out just to speed things up?!"

"You got any better ideas, Serena?!"

"…I guess you have a point."

"Yeah, yeah, I know! Now hop on!"

Together with the Absol that led the way, the drained duo jumps on Primether's outstretched claw-shaped wing and grab onto a large tuft of gray fur.

"Now! Hang on tight!"

With a few tree-swaying wing flaps, the quartet of Trainers and Pokemon take off into the skies…

_Meanwhile…_

_BOOM!_

All at once, the extra-large ethereal assault of energy strikes the sable-furred fire-setter at full force, just as a noisy and bright flash of light comes from the horned Rottweiler. Simultaneously, a gray bracelet embedded with a peculiar stone emits a similar glow from Solar's wrist.

_It doesn't affect Duke..._

_Duke's Houndoomite is reacting with Solar's Mega Ring!_

_Duke has Mega Evolved into Mega Houndoom!_

The bone-armored canine now towers about a foot over its master, with thickened back ridges and menacing elongated horns. The canine also wears a devious grin on its muzzle, not unlike his trainer's signature smirk.

_Duke used Nasty Plot!_

"Heh heh heh… Don't you know your psychic powers won't work on Dark types?! Now you're in for it! ...Duke! Give 'im a Dark Pulse he'll never forget!"

"HOOOOOOOOUN!"

With determined bark, a dark and unsettling aura forms around the Houndoom, deriving power from the devious machinations of the devilish dog. In a palpable wave of malice, the pulse impacts the purple-hued pugilist head-on, blowing it back several feet.

"GAAAAAAH!"

_FWUMP!_

Contradicting the old axiom, the feline doesn't land feet first; it instead impacting the forest floor flat on its back. The crimson-eyed cat reverts back to its original form, the once bulging limbs now shrunk down. With eyes shut, the once-violent violet-tail lies motionless.

Panting and exhausted, the orange-capped kid takes the opportunity to limp over to his downed foe, while his Houndoom reverts to normal as well.

"Haah… Man, that was rough…" The Pyroar-shirted adolescent takes a few more short breaths, tired out from the battle and previous wandering about. "…But… at least it's finally over…"

"…That's where you're wrong."

Faster than either the boy or his dog could react, Mewtwo builds up energy in an outstretched paw and lets it loose in a rounded projectile.

_Mewtwo used Aura Sphere!_

The black-furred beast is blown back skyward the same distance as his attacker was moments earlier.

_It's super effective!_

_Duke fainted!_

"Hunh?! What was th-" As the teen turns his attention back to his dark canine companion, he gets cut off by being lifted 5 feet off the ground.

"Solar!" The green-haired man cries out again in concern, ineffectual as it is.

"I've had ENOUGH! To be honest, I was hoping to handle this without any major bloodshed, but you've pushed me too far! …Such a persistent pest… can only be dealt with one way!" The crimson-eyed cat shoots an especially wrathful red hued scowl at Solar as it readies yet another Psystrike. The seething rage burning inside the furious feline is all the more evident considering the innumerable amount of energy spheres in the air. All the poor orange-capped boy can do is look on, paralyzed with fear and telekinetic powers.

"So long, orange-hair!"

"Sucker Punch!"

Dropping in from blue sky, a black-and-white blur heads straight for the psychotic psychic and swipes with a sharp three-taloned paw.

_Calamity used Sucker Punch!_

Mewtwo drops to its knees, losing concentration, causing the prismatic barrage to fade away into nothingness. Solar also drops, in this case, down less-than-softly to the dirt 5 feet below.

"WAAAAAH! …Unh! …Ow, my achin' butt…"

Right as the acrobatic Absol lands on all four feet, the giant claw-winged bird hovers down with the two Kalosian heroes in tow.

"Phew… Made it… And from the looks of it, not a moment too soon."

"L-Looker! Rainbow Antlers! What're you doing here?!"

"Saving your life, apparently." The monochromatic girl is too driven to notice the utterance of unwanted alias. "Seriously, Solar, what in the world did you do this time?! This place is a burnt mess!"

"Wh-what?! What're you blamin' me for?! This wasn't my fault! Just ask N!"

Before the scruffy-haired trainer can confirm Solar's words, the vengeful violet-tail (telepathically) speaks his mind. "More humans! …Lemme guess, you're here to "help" me."

"We actually came here because my friend's Absol sensed something disastrous was afoot in the area. However, if it's assistance you need, we can certainly oblige."

"Yeah… Sure you can…" Though no longer in fit fighting condition, the feline's caustic contempt has not at all abated. But Serena doesn't let that stop her next course of action.

"Xerneas!" With one fluid motion, she lets out the same X-eyed deer that leapt into action back at Parfum Palace. "I think you know what to do."

At its trainer's behest, a multi-colored aura forms around the Life Pokemon and pulses forth into the land underhoof. Gradually, the village's former vivacity returns, the ubiquitous yellow foliage sprouting to life once more. A moment later, a trickle of water starts to flow again from the northern cliffs, eventually growing into a crystal-clear torrent flooding down even stronger than it did even before the blazing disaster struck. Even the reeling residents scattered about also appear to be feeling at least slightly better than before. Mewtwo's face momentarily shifts to one of disbelief.

…However, that moment passes before anyone can get a word in, and the crimson-eyed cat flies off into the air, clutching its shoulder.

"…This doesn't change a thing!"

"W-wait!" N's protests prove ineffective once again, as the flying feline is only a shining speck in the clouds at this point.

"H-heh… not the most cheerful cat in the world, now is he…" Though definitively drained, Solar still manages to put on a shaky smirk as he speaks to the two Kalosian heroes. "I must say… you two certainly have a heroes' sense of timing…" He starts limping in the duo's direction… "But still, it's great seein' you guys agai- WOAH! Is that Yveltal?!" …But soon collapses out of a combination of shock and exhaustion. And maybe a hint of ill-timed sugar crash.

The region's saviors quickly run over to his side, with the disheveled detective concernedly checking the kid's pulse.

_Th-thump… Th-thump…_

"…Don't worry, he's alive."

Serena sighs, in a mixture of relief and exasperation, though not necessarily in that order. "Great… He's unconscious…. Again."

"So… what now? We've still got a bit of a mess on our hands, don't we."

The female in the fedora contemplates her response for a few moments. "Hmm… I think I'll stay behind here for now. There's still plenty of injured Pokemon that need help. …N!"

"Yes?"

"If you're up for it, I'd like you to help Xerneas and me heal all of the residents here. Think you can do that?"

"I'm still a bit dizzy, but I'll do what I can!"

"Perfect. Then it's settled. N and I will stay here. Calem, you bring Solar back to town to get him patched up. We'll rendezvous back at the Pokemon Center."

"Not a problem! …Primether! Let's pick him up and head back to Snowbelle!"

Doing the best salute it can with a claw-shaped wing, the black bird carries out its trainer's command, grabbing the unconscious adolescent by the belt with its foot talons and flying off once Calem jumps back onto its gray fur tuft. But before they leave, the disheveled detective makes one last remark with a grin on his face.

"Oh, and remember! The name's Looker!"

And so the trio flies away toward the snowy town, accompanied with yet another sigh from Serena.

"All right then, N! We've got work to do."

_A short while later_…

"OK, Primether! We're almost there! Get ready to land soo- huh?"

_Snap!_

The belt holding Solar's team of battlers, structurally weakened from the previous conflict, snaps, letting loose its grip on its formerly-attached owner…

_Fwip!_

As well as his baggy black cargo pants. Before Calem fully realizes what happened, the now-pantsless kid falls ungracefully and unconsciously down to the thick, leaf-covered ground below.

It's a good thing he's wearing underwear.

**Author's Note: Phew! Finally got this chapter done! Once again, I blame college classes. Oh well, c'est la vie. In any case, for you perceptive readers out there, you may have noticed a certain crimson-eyed cat has a much larger repetoire of attacks than what one might normally expect. There's a perfectly good reason for that, I assure you. But instead of writing in a bit of exposition, I might as well just tell you straight up. In the regulations set by the Pokemon League, Trainers' Pokemon are only allowed to use a set of four moves per battle, nothing more. Obviously, this rule doesn't apply to wild Pokemon, or if the fate of the world is at stake. That said, most Trainers are so used to working with said moveset restrictions that cases of such exceptions taking place are few and far between. Well that, and it's not apocalyptic cataclysms happen all that often. ...Right?**


	10. The Couri-way Forward

_**Chapter 10: The Couri-way Forward**_

_Hello-oooo…. Can you hear me?_

Solar hears these words spoken by a somewhat familiar, semi-monotone voice…

_Wakey-wakey…. Time to smell the Roselia…_

However, the semi-conscious kid has no intentions of smelling anything, except perhaps whatever soft stuff was under him that crunched ever so slightly whenever he breathed. How Sl(ak)othful.

_Hmm… I wonder if face-slapping is really as effective as she says… Hey, Primether! Could you lend me your wing for a sec?_

Not wanting to get face slapped into oblivion, the boy finally gets the hint and immediately jolts himself awake, whipping his body up to an alert sitting position. Scared out of his still-somewhat dazed mind, he frantically scans his surroundings for the source of the sobering statements.

"Yo." When Solar focuses his gaze, he sees a certain sweet-toothed Kalosian hero sitting Froakie-style on a nearby rock, wearing an ever-so-slight smug smile. "I didn't know they even made Victini-print boxers. Nice butt wings, man. Heh heh."

"…Hunh? Whaddya mean?"

Look at the squatting guy…

_Fwip!_

…Now back at you.

_Fwip!_

…Now look at the squatting guy, smiling with amusement…

_Fwip!_

…Now back at the underwear you're wearing, smiling with two little fangs.

"…HUNH?! Where the heck are my PANTS?!"

There we go.

Luckily for our flustered protagonist (and those of you out there with very vivid imaginations), the lost leg wear is far from far away. From behind his back, the disheveled detective produces the article in his trademark awkward two-fingered grip. "Catch!" In a swift sweeping swipe, Calem tosses the pants and scores a perfect Tauros-eye on its owner's face.

_Splat!_

…Wait a second. "Splat!"?

"Sorry that it's a bit soggy from Yvel-drool; apparently Primether finds you quite tasty."

"Oh, it's fine, I'll just wait for it to dry out a bi- WAIT, WHAT?!" Right behind Solar, the aforementioned avian draws his attention by cooing endearingly. …Well, as endearing as a bird of destruction can get, at least. "H-he does?! Th-that's… good… Uh… H-hi there, Mr. Bacon Wings! N-nice to meet ya! …I would very much appreciate if you didn't have me for dinner tonight! …Uh… And by that, I mean… Pleasedon'teatmeI'mtooyoungtogetchompedon!"

It's at this point that the saliva-soaked pants slip from Solar's face and land in the leaves below. It's also at this point where Calem completely slips from his semi-stoic façade and almost from the rock upon which he's perched. "AAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHA! Relax, man! I kid! I kid! …Mostly. My point is that good ol' Primether here isn't going to eat you!"

"…R-really?"

"Of course! And it's not just because he ate a boatload of PokePuffs right before you woke up. I mean, sure, his power's draining the life out of things, but it doesn't necessarily mean he's a bad guy! I mean, after all, he did help stop Lysandre from carrying out his plan."

"Well, of course! The guy was a maniac who wanted his gang of orange-suited freaks to inherit the Earth! Who wouldn't want to?! "

"…OK, so the guy wasn't exactly the most mentally stable crime boss to ever live. But nevertheless, my bacon-winged buddy here isn't some malicious destroyer of worlds; this whole oblivion business is just his job, that's all. Tell me, Solar, have you ever seen the Pyroar King?"

"Only a million times! I even went to that live version of it with the costumes! Where do you think I got this awesome T-shirt of mine?"

"Huh. I always thought it was just a run-of-the-mill store-bought thing. …But in any case, it's like that, only without all the monarchial conspiracies. Basically, it's the circle of life. Xerneas has the power to bestow life, Yveltal has the power to absorb it. Without them both, everything would be out of balance. The world would either become an overcrowded mess or a barren wasteland."

Once again, the orange-capped kid finds himself somewhat dumbfounded by the words of a Kalosian hero. "Hmm…. I guess you have a point, but still… Wouldn't living forever be a good thing? …N-not that I hate giant birds or anything!"

"Relax, I get what you're saying. And I'll admit! That's not the easiest question to answer. …However, there is one thing I can say. I've seen the results with my own eyes, and immortality isn't quite all that its cracked up to be." A momentary pang of contemplation passes over the disheveled detective, but it dissipates as soon as he rises to feet. "But that's enough philosophy talk for now, we still need to get that leg of yours fixed. We can't have you limping all across the region, now can we!" He gestures Solar to climb aboard his affectionately-named "bacon-winged buddy." Primether, as soon as the pair of trainers have gotten a firm grip on its gray fur tuft (and Solar got his pants back on), forcefully flaps its arm-like appendages and promptly resumes following the rest of the chilling course to the rendezvous point in Snowbelle City.

"…Hey Solar, just between us, you gotta tell me… What's with the Victini shorts? No offense, but, to be completely honest, they're kinda silly-looking…"

"…Th-they're just comfy and easy to wear, OK!"

"Heh heh, whatever you say… Butt Wings."

Several minutes, Chansey Heal Pulses, and cups of sugar-saturated beverages later, the Pyroar-shirted teen is soon back to his (annoyingly) upbeat and energetic self. But instead of pestering the nearest trainer with a working set of ears, he decides to put his newfound hyperactivity to use in a sparring match against his Infernape. And quite surprisingly, the sugar-fueled Solar is actually holding his own against his punching primate partner. (…I get the feeling that the monkey might be holding back _just_ a bit, but then again, what do I know? I'm just a humble narrator.)

Another half-hour passes by without the hard-at-work healers' return. Not wanting to be left out, the dark-haired nicknamer decides to get in on the acrobatic action, filling the Pokemon Center with pugilistic grunts, eager spectators, and some very exasperated hospital staff.

"You're goin' down, Looker!"

_Solar used Mega Punch!_

"Haah! Think again!"

_Calem used Counter!_

"(_Assorted monkey noises_)"

_Infernape used… _I don't even know anymore.

A flurry of fists, feet, and flames soon moves back and forth throughout the Center's lobby, narrowly avoiding various potted plants and the occasional bystander. Given all the chaos, it's really a wonder that nothing's been broken ye-

_CRASH!_

_Meanwhile_…

As the suns starts to sink under the horizon, a very exhausted N and Serena crunch their way from leaves to snow after a long afternoon spent healing the residents of Pokemon Village. Even sans misanthropic Mewtwo raining down its wrath, it was still quite a daunting task to undertake. Heading down the last stretch to the appointed meeting place, the duo can't help but vocalize their thoughts on the earlier events.

"I just can't believe it… Who would do something like this?"

"I don't have a clue, N. I'm finding hard to think of something even capable of causing such levels of devastation… Nothing short of the power of a legend could've done it…"

"…The power of a legend, you say…" The green-haired trainer turns his gaze downward at the snowy ground underfoot. "Now that you mention it, I think I may know who might responsible… But it just doesn't make sense…"

"What do you mean that exactly?"

"…Mewtwo said that a child with a white dragon was behind the destruction. …I know someone who matches up to that description perfectly; someone who would have more than enough firepower to carry out the deed. …But I just simply can't believe that… that…"

"-They'd actually do something so atrocious?"

"Exactly, Serena."

The pair now finds themselves right at the doorway to the rendezvous point.

"Well, N, for what its worth, it could very well not be this person. Keep in mind, we don't exactly have a wealth of information to go on, just a vague profile. How about we run this by Calem before we jump to any conclusions?"

"…Sounds good to me."

On that note, they step forward toward the cylindrical red metal doors of the Pokemon Center…

_CRASH!_

…And are greeted by a face full of flying Solar.

_WHUMP!_

Well, at least N is anyway.

"Heh heh… Whoops. Guess I got a bit carried away there. Sorry about that, Butt Wings!" The disheveled detective rubs the back of head, face plastered with a sheepish grin.

"Butt Wings?" Upon hearing her fellow hero's words, the monochromatic girl can't help but raise an amused eyebrow.

In a rare reversal of roles, it's now Solar's turn for exasperated sighs. "Please. Don't ask."

"Unnngh… Could you please… get off me…" And as for the green-haired trainer, he gets passed the role of designated crash victim. Oh, his poor, ponytailed head…

…

"Well… first the Shadow Triad, and now a mystery dragon trainer. This certainly is quite the mess we've got on our hands." As he speaks, Calem starts to stack a rather tall tower consisting of Solar's spent creamer containers atop the table the group is seated at. "This dragon… While causing a fiery blaze of destruction is certainly nothing exclusive to any single species, the large radial blast zone it left leaves me puzzled… It's far from ordinary."

"So… do you have any idea on what this white dragon could be?" The rising anticipatory dread inside N just builds further awaiting the answer.

"As a matter of fact, I do. My hunch is that the Pokemon responsible… is the embodiment of truth: Reshiram."

"…I was afraid you'd say that…"

"Now, before you say anything, there's only a 5% chance that this is the case. But as I said before, we must investigate this possibility to its conclusion before we can dismiss it."

With the green-haired trainer lost in a sea of tumultuous emotions, the blond-haired Bijoux poses the next inquiry. "So how exactly will we be going about this?"

"Like so." The disheveled detective precariously balances the last empty plastic cup at the apex of his tower, then pulls a small device from the pocket of his wrinkled jeans. He inputs a few button presses and soon a cyan-colored holographic image appears of a young girl with a dark twin-tailed hairstyle.

"Oh! Hey there, Looker! Just finished my patrol a little while ago! What's up?"

"Emma, I'll need you to gather together every file pertaining to the Unova region. Search up any information we have on the dragon Pokemon, Reshiram."

"It will take a while, but I'll get right on it! How about I get back to you first thing tomorrow morning?"

"Yes, that would be perfect, thank you. I wish you luck. Looker out!" Calem replaces the machine back into his pocket and resumes speaking. "My assistant Emma will be in charge of the research. Being a part of the International Police, our little agency has quite the expansive print database, so something useful is bound to turn up. As for our part, we'll continue investigating the region on foot. The Shadow Triad is still at large, in addition to this unknown trainer, so we can't afford to leave any stone unturned."

"So, Looker, what's the plan?"

"Good question, Butt Wings." The semi-stoic agent takes a glance at the setting sun through the Center's translucent glass walls. "It's been quite a long day for all us. For now, we'll fly on over to Couriway Town and get some rest. We'll resume our search tomorrow at dawn."

"Sounds good to me!" Solar lets out a far-from-subtle yawn, most likely due to yet another impending sugar crash. "…But can you please come up with a different code name for me?!"

"Nonsense! I think it suits you perfectly, Butt Wings!"

And so, the quartet of trainers exit Snowbelle City's Pokemon Center and once more fly Primether Air to their next destination.

"OK, passengers! This is your captain speaking! We're preparing to land in Couriway Town! It's at this time that I ask everyone to remain seated and… HANG ON TO YOUR HATS!"

As the crimson-claw wing glides down at high speeds for a thrilling landing, Solar takes Captain Calem's advice a bit too literally and completely removes his grip on its gray fur tuft.

"THIS IS AWESOOOO- WAAAAAAH!"

_SPLOOSH!_

His butt wings do nothing to prevent his descent.

When the group disembarks somewhat shaken, they turn around to see the poor orange-capped boy trashing around at the base of the town's world-renowned waterfalls, screaming.

"Waagh! (_Blub blub…_) Someone! (_Splash!_)Help me! I can't swiiiiim!"

With much sangfroid, Primether's pilot has only one thing to say. "Don't worry, I got this.


	11. Sidestory 2: Connecting Differences

_**Sidestory 2: Connecting Differences**_

"Let's see here… Kanto… Johto… Hoenn… Sinnoh… Ah! Here we go! The Unova files!" The brown-skinned girl grabs a rather hefty stack of papers from a large bookshelf in the back left corner of the Looker Bureau. But despite her petite frame, the twin-tailed Emma handily tackles the task with ease.

"I must say, Mr. Looker sure has a lot of papers stored away! And Calem wants to get some info on one Pokemon… This really is going to take a while… Oh well, I'm not complaining! At least we have a new case to solv- HUNH?!"

"Mrrrrraawr-r-r!"

…Well, at least she did, until the dulcet purr of an Espurr in her path takes her by surprise, causing a _cat_astrophic storm of paper to scatter all across Looker's former desk and the patterned-tile of the alleyway agency.

"Oh! Sorry, Mimi! I didn't see you there!" After some more profuse apologizing to her feline friend, the girl pauses and sees the mess around her. She can't help but let out a sigh. "Haah… Better get started…"

Some time later, as Emma recompiles the plethora of papers back on top of the table, she happens upon a slim, somewhat weathered notebook. The cover is plain and unlabeled, but something about its unadorned black exterior just exudes an enigmatic air. With inquisitive eyes, the gray-furred feline seems to be intrigued. So, out of curiosity, the girl opens it up and starts reading…

_And so it begins. My new life in the Kalos region is only one flight away. As much as I liked the warmth of Hoenn, I just feel like I need a fresh start. Now, don't get me wrong, it's not because of a troubled past or anything; the only memories I have of it are happy ones. But going out and making new friends is something I've always wanted ever since I can remember. A simple goal, yes, but it's one that drives me to my very core._

_I'm so glad that I have parents that who would let me pursue my dreams like this. Though I can barely see your face from this small airplane window, I know the tears you're shedding now are both joyful and sad, Mom. Don't worry, I still have the lucky Amulet Coin you gave me to keep me safe. But I don't think I'll be making much use of its protection, considering the faithful team of Pokemon I've got by my side. They'll all do a great job of keeping me safe from any calamity that may come my way! _

_And as for you, Dad, I know you couldn't see me off on account of your job as Gym Leader and all, but I know you feel exactly the same way as Mom. Your kind words are more than enough to prove it. However, as I sit here only a few minutes from takeoff, I can't help but wonder… "You've grown from a callow youth to a fine young man!" Have I really matured so much in such a short time like you said? _

_In any case, I can already tell that this adventure of mine is going to be a great one! Picking another starter, traveling new lands, meeting new people, it's going to be a heck of blast!_

"Hmm… The Hoenn Region? What's this doing with the Unova files? Did Mr. Looker get it mixed up?…" Perplexed at the booklet's initial irrelevance, Emma flips forward a few more pages.

"_Well, in light of recent events, I retract my previous statement. Turns out I'm not one flight away from my destination. We had to make a stop-over in Sinnoh before the plane continued on. …As I sit here in my seat, several thousand miles above ground, I wish I had realized sooner that I was not, in fact, in Kalos. …Long story short, I rushed back over to catch my flight again so quickly that I lost my favorite hat in the process. Just great… Dad gave it to me for as a birthday present… And not to mention, without it, I look, well… boring. …Oh well, c'est la vie, as they say. Maybe I'll just do something with my hair when I get there._

"Hmm… Nothing relevant so far…" Still intrigued, Emma flips forward yet another few pages, Mimi the Espurr looking on intently.

_Well, this is getting pretty embarrassing… Looks like my little mishap in Sinnoh wasn't my only slip-up. The flight I booked was to the Unova region, not Kalos. Heh heh… How stupid of me, huh? Oh well… This can be easily fixed with another flight. …Well… except for one thing. I don't have the funds for it! Just great, I tell you, just absolutely great… Guess I'll just have to raise some Poke for the time being. Well, it's a good thing that I'm a good battler. You better watch out, people of Unova! Pretty soon, your preschoolers' lunch money will be all mine!_

"Still nothing…" At this point, the girl considers putting down the perplexing pamphlet, but seeing a good amount of pages left, curiosity gets the better of her and she reads on. (In light of a certain oft-said proverb, I hope that Espurr's going to be OK.)

_Well, I must say, it didn't take half as long as I thought it would to raise the money I need. This region must be loaded! Or maybe that lucky charm Mom gave me actually… Nah, it couldn't be._

_But in any case, it's time that I finally got back on track to my course to Kalos! As I once more find myself in another airplane seat, I can't help but think about everything that took place during my time here. Though it wasn't part of my original plans, I don't regret a single second I spent in Unova. (Well, except perhaps the Ferris Wheel rides with strange men. That still weirds me out to this day.) A misguided hero, a team of deluded crusaders, and a psychotic two-faced mastermind… I witnessed them all. To think that I would've gone on not knowing any of this had it not been for one little ticket mistake… It's truly astonishing. Now I can say without a doubt, that I really feel like I have grown up. And it's not just because my voice is starting to change. Put simply, I've seen the truth._

_I've seen for myself what sort of thing people are capable of. It's crazy, I'll tell you that. …And because of that, I can't help but have a crazy idea of my own… An idea that may just be crazy enough to work… With this truth in mind, I'm going to change the world! And what better place to start than the Kalos Region!_

Having read enough to satiate her curiosity, Emma shuts the journal. However, the words contained raise more questions than answers. "Just what exactly is this book? Who was the person that wrote this? …And how did Mr. Looker find this thing?" As the twin-tailed girl ponders her several inquiries, a piece of paper flutters out from the notebook's pages. She swiftly analyzes the paper's contents and with just as much speed, reaches for her own Holo Caster. "I wonder if he's still up…"

_Back at Couriway Hotel…_

_Pl-pl-pl-plink! Pl-pl-pl-plink!_

On a bedside table, a device vibrates, letting out a high-pitched ring, piercing through the serenity of a moonlit hotel room overlooking scenic waterfalls.

_SNOOOOOOORE!_

…Make that former serenity. Thank you, Solar. …But, regardless of the nighttime noise coming from a few doors down, Calem seems unperturbed as he reaches out his hand to answer the call, holding his Holo Caster gingerly in a two-fingered grip.

"Hey, Looker, it's me again. Sorry if I woke you up, but I thought you'd want to hear what I've got as soon as possible."

"Oh, no worries, Emma. I've always been a bit of a Noctowl. And besides, between saving Butt Wings from drowning and his incessant snoring, I couldn't sleep even if I wanted to. In any case, you were saying?"

"Right. Here's what I found: Apparently, Reshiram, embodiment of truth, is currently with a trainer that goes by the name of Hil. Ever since the downfall of the original Team Plasma, neither one of them has been seen since, leading many to believe that they left for another region."

"I see…" Upon hearing this, the aliasing agent recalls yesterday's stopover in Santalune. "Did you manage to come across anything else in your research?"

"As a matter of fact, I have. I …_stumbled_ upon some kind of journal while sorting through the Unova files. The info I gave you basically slipped out of the thing."

"Interesting…" Now sufficiently intrigued, the nocturnal investigator sits up on his plushy bed, Froakie-style. "What did this book say?"

"Long story short… It was an account of a boy's journey across several regions, starting in Hoenn. His initial goal was to go make new friends in Kalos, but through a few blunders, he ends up in Unova for a while instead. At the end, after everything he's seen there, he states that he wants to 'change the world'… Oh, and apparently he's a pretty good battler. You think this is related somehow?"

Calem takes another thumb-biting moment of contemplation before responding back. "…Truth be told, I can't be sure. From the info you've given me, I at least know that this Hil is Reshiram's master. …If N's lost friend truly is responsible for the attack on Pokemon Village, I suppose a 'change the world' philosophy would be a plausible motive. …But still, those three words could mean something else entirely."

The cyan-hued hologram shoots back an inquisitive look. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, take me for example. I too want to be able to change the world. But that doesn't mean I go flying around on a pyromaniacal rampage. It's the reason I agreed to succeed Agent Looker and continue his work at the Bureau. I can help change the world for the better, one case at a time."

"…Hmm, I see your point there."

"That said, though, I still can't help but get a feeling these writings you found are important somehow…"

The digitized Emma raises a eyebrow. "Is this like all those times when you give those absurdly low percentages, even though you're completely sure? For the record, it does not make you sound more credible."

"No, no, it's nothing like that. I just got a strong gut feeling about this, that's all."

"You sure that's not from all the cake you're always munching on?"

"Heh heh. Touché!"

As more late-night chuckles ensue, a chilling breeze blows through the room's open window, grazing the dark-haired detective's face, much to his disdain.

"Hold on a sec, be right back. It's getting a bit drafty in here."

Shuffling across the floor in the hotel's complementary Bunnelby slippers, Calem makes his way to the source of the problem. He's just about to bring the ajar annoyance to a literal close when he sees a bench off in the distance, occupied by a single green-haired man staring out at the cascading waters.

"Emma, I'll call you back."

As fast as his brown bunny footwear can take him, Calem heads down the stairs and toward the aforementioned anomaly outdoors, making sure to do so quickly and quietly. I mean sure, Solar's snoring could cover the tracks of a marching band of Metagross, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

As the moon shines high in the starry night sky, the disheveled detective makes his approach…

"What are you doing out here so late?"

…When he's taken off-guard by a familiar female voice. Barely able to stifle a startled scream, the tussled-haired teen immediately hides behind a nearby signpost, in hopes that he would evade detection.

"N? Can you hear me?"

Fortunately for our late-night lurker, he remains unnoticed as he sees his fellow Kalosian hero speaking to their green-haired travel companion.

"Oh, Serena! I didn't know you were there! …Sorry, I guess I was just lost in thought again. What are you doing out here?"

"Couldn't sleep. Seriously, that kid snores louder an Exploud! So, I just figured I'd go out for a little walk until the noise dies down. But back to my question, what're _you_ doing here?"

"Well, I couldn't sleep either, same as you." N pauses and looks down wistfully. "…Actually, not quite the same as you. Why don't you take a seat?"

The monochrome maiden complies as the scruffy-haired trainer shares his thoughts. All the while, the disheveled detective listens on intently, hoping to glean some information. "Well… Where do I begin… It seems that Reshiram could in fact be responsible for that incident back at Snowbelle. I know Calem said there was only a small chance, but I can't get it out of my mind. I've seen its Fusion Flare in action and it's easily capable of doing something like what we saw…"

"I can certainly see why that'd worry you… But that's not what's keeping you awake, now is it."

"…No. No, it isn't. …It's not so much Reshiram itself, but the person ordering it around. That's what worries me."

"You know who this person is?"

N nods his head. "Remember Hil? The friend I mentioned back at Santalune?"

"…Let me guess, you think they're the one controlling the dragon?"

"That's exactly what I fear. …But like I said before, it doesn't really make sense… After everything we've been through in Unova… I became a better person because of it. And now, to think that all this destruction could've been caused by them… What could've possibly happened?"

Serena hesitates momentarily before answering. "…Betrayal. I hate to say it, but it does happen."

It's obvious from his stunned silent reaction that the green-haired man is hit hard by these words. As he holds back tears, he turns his eyes to see her face filled with a similar wistfulness. "You sound like you speak from experience."

Simultaneously, the lurking listener's ears perk up, paying even closer attention.

"Sadly, yes. That so-called friend from Hoenn taught me all about it."

"Are you talking about that KABOOM! person? What about everything you said before? It sounded like you had plenty of fond memories of him…"

"Suffice to say, I may have… romanticized a couple things."

At this point, both N and Calem wonder the same question. "But why did you hide this from us?"

"It's not really something I like talking about. It'd make people worry too much, especially the ones I know well."

With every fiber of his being, her fellow Kalosian hero resists vocalizing his thoughts from his hiding place. _"That's why you're keeping it a secret? So I don't worry about you? …Don't you know I'm here if you ever need help?"_

"…But enough about me. I don't think sharing my story would help anything right now. In any case, nothing is definite quite yet, N. For the sake of sanity, I'd keep the benefit of the doubt until everything's been sorted out. …Why don't you tell me more about this Hil person?"

With this small modicum of hope, the green-haired trainer starts fondly reminiscing about his own past. "…Well, it all started back in Accumula Town…"

But despite the possible fount of useful information about to spring forth, Calem can no longer concentrate on the pair's conversation. He's got other things on his mind. _"The mysteries just seem to be piling up… Serena… just what have you been hiding all this time that you felt that you had to keep it from your closest friends? Solar and N, I'd understand, but me too? Not to mention Trevor, Tierno, and Shauna… This 'KABOOM!'… Who is he? And just what in the world did he do? …It looks like I'll just have to get to the bottom of this case as well. But not as a detective… but as your friend."_

As N continues sharing his encounters with his friend across Unova, another thought crosses Calem's mind. _"But the question remains… Where do I even begin?" _As the metaphorical Klinks in his head start to turn (or for those of you who prefer the Japanese names, Gears), he gets struck by a Flash of inspiration._ "Hold on… the Hoenn region… a proficient battler… I know it sounds crazy, but… could the answer lie in those writings Emma found?"_

_SNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE!_

As Solar's ear-splitting snore somehow propagates through the now-closed windows, everyone within earshot can't help but wince.

_Serena, Calem, and N flinched!_

"…_I'll figure it out in the morning…"_

**Author's Note: And so ends another "Sidestory"! The plot just seems to thicken more and more! …Now, now, I know what many of you may be thinking right now: "Things just got all serious again… What's does this mean for the story?" Plot-wise, I won't spoil anything, so don't ask! Tone-wise… nothing really. I assure you that the humor you've come to know and love will continue to remain intact, so don't worry!**


	12. Inverse Psychic-ology

_**Chapter 12: Inverse Psychic-ology**_

_Tmp tmp tmp… _

As the sun rises once again, ridding itself of its early morning orange hues, a certain fedora-clad female sleepily saunters down to the lobby of the Couriway Hotel. Usually, mornings are of no particular problem for this Kalosian hero, but yesterday's persistent nighttime noise caused by a certain amber-eyed adolescent is more than capable of making an exception. While slowly treading the last few steps of the descending staircase, she is immediately greeted by a semi-monotone, yet cheery voice.

"You look like you've had a long night, Rainbow Antlers."

"Please, like you're one to talk, Bacon Flippers." Well, someone's obviously suffering from last night's lack of sleep. "Sigh… Sorry, Calem, that stupid snoring kept me up just about the entire night. If only this place offered some complimentary earplugs with those slippers…" The blond-haired girl lets out a small yawn. "Honestly, it's a wonder that I can even stay awake right now."

"Don't feel too bad. That's more than can be said for this guy." With a subtle nudge of his disheveled head, the insomniac investigator directs his friend's attention to the man seated beside him. Nestled atop a scruffy verdant bush of his own hair is N, blissfully napping away… with a bunch of bananas under his chin?

The sight bewilders the monochrome maiden momentarily before she realizes the meaning of the aforementioned fruit. "…A Tropius? Really?"

"He looked so Tranquill; I couldn't resist. Besides, it's not like I drew all over his face or anything. That'd be an _Unfezant _surprise."

"…Must you start with the eccentrics this early in the day?"

"_Absol-_lutely! It helps drive away the Drowzee-ness!"

"For all the wrong reasons." Serena lets out another sigh as she takes her seat across from her fellow Kalosian hero and his napping neighbor. "Well, speaking of Unfezant things, where's Solar? I doubt you're starting this meeting without him."

"Yeah… now that you mention it, where is he? Still in bed?"

Fortunately for the tired Trainer trio, they don't have to wait long for the answer as the kid in question bursts loudly through the front door.

_Solar used Door Slam!_

_Solar scared the musical Rubik's Cubes out of N!_

"Oh hey guys! Nice to see you're finally up!" With small beads of sweat on his face, the boy greets the group with an enthusiastic wave.

"Easy for you to say…" Confounded, and not the least bit amused, the fedora-clad female asks the next logical question. "What are you doing out and about?"

"Taking my team out for a morning jog, what else? Isn't it nice to start out the day all fired up and ready to go?"

Huh. Looks like our protagonist's actually quite the early riser. Didn't see that one coming. …Then again, I probably should've guessed it, considering the guy's named after the _Sun_.

"Well, now that Butt Wings is here, let's get down to business, shall we?" Calem nonchalantly picks up and peels one of the bananas he slipped in before under N's slumbering chin. "OK then, first things first, the Shadow Triad. Continuing off the theory that they intend to carry out Ghetsis' former ambitions, Dendemille Town would be the next likely location. Between it and the surrounding areas, there's certainly no shortage of very capable Ice-types to be captured."

"So basically we gotta head to more cold places?! Aww man!" Once again, the fiery trainer does not seem to take kindly to more frigid locales.

"Well, you could ride your Arcanine like when we went through the Lost Woods."

"I suppose, N, but still… Anyway, Looker, continue!"

"On a related note, I think it would also be good to assign the Triad's members some names for simplicity's sake. It may seem trivial, but it could save us some confusion down the road. The verbose left-hand, the laconic right-hand, and the determined leader in the middle of it all… I could come up with something myself, but I'm open to suggestions."

And almost immediately, the orange-capped kid offers one up. "Well, if it's simplicity ya want, why not Lefty, Righty, and Middle?"

Upon hearing this, Serena takes the opportunity to share her own suggestion. "Hmm… What about Gauche, Droite, and Milieu?"

"Hey! Isn't that what I just said?"

"Technically yes, Butt Wings, but I do like her version. It really rolls off the Licki-tung better. …N, do you have anything?"

"You know, not really. I think Serena's suggestion actually fits quite well."

"Terrific! Guess that's settled!" And with one swift sweeping motion, Calem takes a big dramatic bite of his banana out of enthusiasm. How he does this without breaking Froakie-esque form is beyond me. "As for that misanthropic pink feline we encountered in Pokemon Village, its whereabouts are currently unknown. However, while its flying around the region is a bit unnerving, I find it really unlikely that it'll go on any sort of rampage. In fact, if we can somehow convince this cat we're actually trying to save this region, it could prove to be a very powerful ally."

With a concerned expression, N speaks up. "That's true. But really, given everything he's been through, I can't really blame him for his resentment…. If we do run into him again, I will do my best to get through to him, though."

"That's good to hear, N." Nodding, the disheveled detective takes yet another fruit-filled bite. "…But now, for the news you're probably waiting for. Emma contacted me in the early morning hours about my Reshiram hunch." Calem clears his throat and turns a sympathetic gaze over to his formerly napping neighbor. "According to our files, your friend Hil is Reshiram's master. Therefore, my theory is that they are the ones responsible for the attack on the Village."

"…I had a feeling you'd say that." Though the impact of the statement was not diminished in anyway, neither N nor anyone else present are surprised by Calem's conclusion.

"Wait a sec, WHAT?! What sense does that make?!" Well, anyone not named Solar, at least.

"Like I said, Hil is Reshiram's master. If that dragon is indeed the one responsible for this destruction, it makes the most sense that the self-same Trainer is the one giving the orders."

It's at this point that Solar rises up from his seat and does something that no one in the room (nor the narrator) expects. He… gets serious. "No. No! I dunno about you, but I just can't believe that! I may not know all that much about this Hil, but I just can't imagine that they'd just turn their back on their friend! Maybe Reshiram is the Pokemon behind this, but haven't you thought that someone else is calling out the orders?! Maybe someone else's controlling that dragon!"

After some awkward silence, perfunctory blinking, and a hint of déjà vu, N is the first to respond. "I appreciate your trying to make me feel better, but I can't think of anyone else alive capable of that. And besides, Reshiram's not the type to blindly follow the orders of a malicious person."

Finishing off the rest of his yellow-hued snack, Calem adds on. "Also, keep in mind, this is only a 5% percent certainty at this point. While it merits further investigation, I wouldn't get too worked up about it."

"Speaking of which," Serena, in a mixture on confusion and curiosity, crosses her arms and turns her gaze to the amber-eyed adolescent. "Why _are_ you getting worked up, anyway? If anything, I would've expected N to be the one up in arms."

And once again, to everyone's disbelief, Solar maintains this rarely-seen seriousness. "OK, here's the thing. I may not have ever had a big crowd of friends before, but even I know that friendship is something important! Heck, maybe it's 'cause of that that I know it! Call me crazy, call me naïve, but I just find it hard to believe that someone would just up and betray the people they care about! Ya get what I'm saying?"

The passionate words of the Pyroar-shirted teen, impulsive as they may be, appear to have a marked effect on the inquirer, as evidenced by her laconic response. "…I suppose you could have a point."

"Of course I do!" And just as suddenly as it shifted, Solar's demeanor is soon back to the cheery status quo that everyone loves and/or hates. "So! Looker! What's the plan for today?"

Inside the investigator's mind, the metaphorical Klinks evolve into Klangs and proceed to turn at even higher speed, producing a veritable Avalanche of miscellaneous thoughts as he formulates a plan.

"_I know how crazy it seems, but… could it be? Is this guy hiding something under all his hyperactivity? …He's not the only possibility, but it's still worth looking into… And I think I've got just the idea to do so…"_

"Simple! With all the possible dangers on the loose, we can't afford to let anything pass us by. Even if we don't track down any of our targets yet, we could still stumble upon some useful information in our search. So, since we flew directly here to stay the night yesterday, we'll need to cover any ground we skipped over. Rainbow Antlers, how about you take of Route 19?"

"Sure, I can do it."

"And as for you N, I was thinking that you could take care of searching Route 18 up north. I know this is a new region to you and all, but you think you could take this on by yourself?"

"Fine by me. I still have the Gyarados Serena gave me before, so I can still defend myself if it ever comes to that."

"Perfect! If either of you find anything, just contact me via Holo Caster. Last I checked, it's also compatible with Unova's Xtransciever techonology, so you shouldn't have any problems with that, N. So, if everyone's ready, let's put this plan into action!"

But as the tussled-haired teen hops off his chair, a now-empty banana peel in hand, his fellow hero swiftly interjects. "Wait a minute. What about you and Solar? What are you two going to do?"

"Oh, we'll be assisting in the search as well later on. But first, I thought it'd be nice for us to take a little detour. …Butt Wings, ever hear of the Inverse Battle house?"

…

A few fast-paced minutes later, the quirky duo accompanies their green-haired companion north on Route 18.

"This is gonna be so awesome, I just know it! Thanks a bunch for doing this, Looker!"

"Don't mention it, Butt Wings! After all that suffering you had in Snowbelle City, it's really the least I could do!"

As the morning sun continues to rise and wild Gravelers spontaneously explode off in the distance, the pair soon parts ways with N to scale up the stairway leading to their destination. Upon their arrival at the entrance, the door flies open as the pair is greeted by a violet-haired girl with a crazy look in her eyes. With a curious gaze, she leans forward until she's about an inch from the Trainers' faces.

"Welcome! The reason why you came here is… to try an Inverse Battle, right?"

"Yep! That we are! …Well, at least he is anyway. I'm just here to watch."

"Huh?" Solar shoots an inquisitive stare off to the side. "You're not gonna battle, Looker?"

The dark-haired detective gives a shrug. "Nah. Not really in the mood right now. Just go and knock yourself out! …Or should I say your opponent!"

"…OK then. Your loss, I guess."

On that note, the crazy-eyed girl steps out of the doorway and calls back to a boy with similarly-hued hair. "Oh, Inver! A new challenger has arrived!"

"I see. Please, come in."

With an unobstructed view, both Trainers can now see the entire interior. For the most part, it appears much like a normal residence: kitchen, TV set, Alakazam in a maid's outfit, the usual. But in lieu of a normal back wall, there exists quite the expansive battle arena that wouldn't look out of place in a Gym.

"Whoa. This place is a lot bigger on the inside."

"I know! Pretty cool, isn't it, Butt Wings?"

As the mustachioed maid telekinetically sweeps the ceiling, both Calem and Solar make their way to the soon-to-be battlefield. The spiky-haired psychic follows suit and takes his place opposite the pair.

"Greetings, challenger. I don't believe I've seen your face here before, so I'll start off by explaining my special power. Put simply, I have the ability to invert things, namely type matchups."

"Oh, I see! Is that why your name's Inver?"

"Not quite. It used to be Revni, but I inverted that too. Anyway, what that means is that super effective moves will not be very effective, and vice-versa. For instance, if I were to be kicked in a rather… uncomfortable area, using my power, it'd hardly faze me."

"Seriously?! You can do that?!"

"Well, theoretically, yes, but I have yet to see if it works on things other than names and Pokemon. Back on topic, type immunities also no longer exist with my power. What one would normally be immune to, it would instead be super effective as well. Have I made all this clear?"

"Like a non-Vietnamese Crystal!" With a prideful smirk, Solar decides to make perhaps one of the most obscure references to date in this story.

"Excellent! Now then, challenger, let's see what you're made of!"

_Psychic Inver would like to battle!_

"OK then, you're up, Malamar!"

From Inver's ball appears a grayish-blue squid-like creature with glowing yellow spots on its torso and what appears to be a tentacled hairstyle. On either side of its red beak are eyes narrowed with a devious desire for battle.

"A Malamar, huh? Pretty smart choice, psychic guy! Not really many resistances to exploit with his typing! But I've got just the thing for you! Let's go, Cloudburst!"

Like several times before, the golden-furred fox makes a graceful entrance, while simultaneously bringing the heat.

_Cloudburst's Drought intensified the sun's rays!_

"Aw yeah! Let's get this started! Hey, Cloudburst! You plotting what I'm plotting?"

The glowing red eyes and dulcet howl appear to agree.

_Cloudburst used Nasty Plot!_

"Hmm. Just going to stand there, eh? Fine by me! Malamar! Superpower!"

With a menacing sneer, the inverted squid rushes forward with its right arm-tentacle.

_WHAM!_

With a determined glare, the fox slides back from the impact, but still remains standing. As for the squid, he appears none the worse for wear, in spite of the move's normally fatiguing nature. If anything, the devious glint in its narrowed eyes only intensifies.

_Malamar's Attack and Defense rose!_

"Heh heh. Not bad, Inver! But its our turn to go on the offensive! Give 'em a Psyshock, Cloudburst!"

A cloud of ethereal shards of energy forms around the fox and heads directly for the Malamar's smug red-beaked face.

_It's super effective!_

While watching the kitsune's opponent blown back a fair distance, Calem can't help but be a bit impressed.

"_You adapt well, Solar. Guess lasting against Mewtwo that long_ _wasn't a fluke…"_

However, despite the impressive display, Inver's fighter still stands tall.

"Using my own power against me, I see. You're better than most other first timers! But can you handle this? Malamar, Topsy-Turvy!"

Using psychic powers of its own, the sinister cephalopod twirls around its tentacles and… flips Solar's Ninetales upside-down? Much to the orange-capped trainer's surprise, this unorthodox attack leaves his kitsune feeling much weaker than before.

_Cloudburst's stat changes have been reversed!_

"What the?! What just… Oh, I get it. You had Malamar invert my Nasty Plot, didn't you! Like Trainer, like Pokemon, I guess." Solar's smirk fades momentarily, but knowing him, it doesn't disappear for long. "No matter! This is far from over! Let's light 'em up, Cloudburst!"

_Cloudburst used Overheat!_

As many times before, a bright deluge of scarlet flame erupts from the fox's muzzle, engulfing its opponent. But due to her weakened state, Inver's battler shrugs it off with relative ease. Then suddenly, a glowing aura of enigmatic energy emanates from the squid, soon spreading to the entirety of the arena.

"Wh-whoa! What in the world just happened?! I feel… weird." The amber-eyed adolescent stumbles a bit, almost losing his balance along with his Pokemon. However, Inver and his fighter remain unfazed.

"That's because of Malamar's Trick Room! That ought to make things a little bit more manageable."

As Solar gets back on two feet, he also spots Calem off to the side, not shaken at all from his signature squatting posture.

"How are you not affected?!"

"Eh, you get used to it after a while."

Not wasting any time, the squid-commanding psychic sends out his next order. "Superpower again!"

Like the last time, Malamar charges forward, tentacle at the ready. But unlike the previous assault, the sinister cephalopod rushes ahead with much more agility.

"Cloudburst, get out of the way!"

But try as she might, the kitsune's evasion attempt is simply too slow.

_WHAM!_

_Malamar's Attack and Defense rose!_

_Cloudburst fainted!_

"Wow! I must say you're pretty good, Inver! Heh heh! I really like a good challenge!" With the ever-present smirk on his face, Solar sends forth his next fighter into the fray.

_Solar sent out Infernape!_

"Well, challenger, what a coincedence. So do I! Malamar! Night Slash!"

With menacing speed, the tentacled foe charges once more, this time with its left arm cloaked in a shadowy haze.

_SHWK!_

_It's super effective!_

The pitch-black appendage connects full force against the chimpanzee, but like the fox before her, she stays on her feet with tenacious resolve shining through her resolute eyes.

_Infernape hung on using its Focus Sash!_

"Hah! Now you're in for it! Say hello to a Close Combat!"

With the gap closed between the two Pokemon, the flame-haired monkey pelts her opponent with a relentless barrage of fists and feet. All the poor squid can do now is get knocked back helplessly through the air.

_Malamar fainted!_

"Well, well! Nicely done! However, I still have two more Pokemon laying wait. Think you'll be able to defeat them?" Inver calmly recalls his fainted fighter. "Let's go, Abomasnow!"

With a palpable tremor, a green-and-white monster lands on the battlefield, tufts of thick fur flapping from the impact. And much to Solar's chagrin, the air in the arena abruptly chills. Within a matter of seconds, a storm of ice crystals begins to form.

_Abomasnow's Snow Warning made it hail!_

"After that fiery display, I thought it'd nice for you to chill out a bit."

With chattering teeth, the cold-loathing Solar objects. "H-hey, man! N-not cool! N-not cool at all!"

"Technically, it's very cool, Butt Wings."

"Sh-shut up, Looker!"

Though thoroughly amused from his opponent's reaction, the inverting psychic wastes no time calling out another devastating attack, made to order. "Abomasnow! Blizzard!"

_FWOOO!_

From the gaping maw of the towering snow beast, a huge jet of icy destruction shoots forth, headed straight for its flame-haired foe. Things look bad for our Pyroar-shirted protagonist, but strangely, this frigid sight allows him to regain his focus.

"W-wait for it… W-wait for iiiiiit… Now!"

At her trainer's command, the fired-up primate jumps up with very precise timing, allowing her to completely avoid the chilling cloud.

_FWOOO!_

But unfortunately for her master, he neglects to do the same and gets blown back toward the wall behind him.

_WHAM!_

"GWAAAAAH! Cold, cold, COLD!"

As the ice cloud settles, Inver can't help but shiver with a twinge of sympathy pain. "Yikes. You OK, there?"

The orange-capped kid, with a few shaky steps, rises to his feet again. "Feh… D-don't worry 'bout me, I-I'll live." Then, catching the spiky-haired psychic off-guard, Solar once again flashes another smirk. "Th-the one you should be worrying about th-though is that Abomasnow of yours."

"Hmm? What do you mean by that?"

"T-take a look for yourself, psychic guy!"

Amidst the chaos, Solar's Infernape managed to elude detection, and landed a very painful-looking electrified fist straight into the monster's gut.

_Infernape used Thunder Punch!_

_It's super effective!_

_A critical hit!_

And just like that, Inver's once-intimidating battler falls to its face, down for the count.

_Abomasnow fainted!_

"Oh yeah! Wh-what do you think of that, Inver?!"

"Duck."

"…What?"

The brief moment of bewilderment costs Solar and his Pokemon valuable time as they both are simultaneously struck in the backs of their heads by a couple of decently-sized chunks of ice.

_Solar and Infernape are pelted by Hail!_

_Infernape fainted!_

"Owww…." Seeing his own battler downed by the falling ice, he rubs his head while recalling the poor chimp. "Th-that came out of nowhere!"

"Well, I did tell you to duck. Oh well." As if nothing happened, Inver reaches to his waist once more, sending out his final fighter. "This is it! Come on out, Ferrothorn!"

"OK… I've had it with this ice already. It's time to finish this! C'mon, Hyperion!"

And once more, the flying flame-bringer appears on the scene. With teeth gritted, Solar immediately reaches for his wrist and taps the stone embedded in his dark grey bracelet. "Hope you enjoyed it while it lasted, 'cause here comes the sun!"

(Under his breath, Calem can't help but hum a little "doo-doo-doo-doo" at the end.)

In a blinding burst of light, the skyward salamander metamorphoses, before letting out a loud echoing roar.

_Hyperion Mega Evolved into Mega Charizard Y!_

_Hyperion's Drought intensified the sun's rays!_

And once more, the house's atmosphere warms up again. In the residential area of the building, the crazy-eyed girl turns to her mustachioed housekeeper with a sigh. "Don't tell me the thermostat's broken again…"

On the other hand, feeling the regained warmth has only a positive effect of the orange-capped Trainer. "Ah! That's so much better!"

"Maybe, challenger, but you still have one more opponent to deal with! Ferrothorn! Gyro Ball!"

"Exactly! Hyperion! How you give this thing a face full of your Solarbeam!"

As the silver sphere of spikes and thorns heads skyward, Solar's Charizard quickly builds up energy and lets it loose in a searing stream of light.

_SHOOOOM!_

_BAM!_

In a spectacular collision, both battlers are blasted out of the sky with impressive force, each landing on the ground only a few feet from their trainers. An uneasy silence falls upon the arena, built up with so much tension that it could be Cut with a talking Honedge. The seconds tick by…

And soon the fiery lizard rises up, barely emerging victorious.

"Phew! That was intense! You were an awesome opponent, Inver!"

Recalling his last Pokemon, the psychic graciously accepts his loss. "As were you, challenger. May I ask your name?"

"Sure thing! The name's Solar and I hope we'll battle again sometime!"

Off on the sidelines, the disheveled detective is suitably impressed our protagonists strategic skills. But rather than offering up immediate congratulations, he ponders over the battle's result.

"_Not bad, Solar, not bad at all! Even I didn't fare as well against Inver my first time around! …But still. Supposedly placing high value in friendship and possessing a good amount of battling prowess… I never recalled seeing him in the Hoenn region, so I can't jump to any conclusions quite yet… However… There's definitely more investigating to be done on this kid… One way or another, I'll get to the bottom of this. For Serena's sake."_

_Meanwhile…_

N, having spent the span of Solar's battle wandering around the route on an ultimately fruitless search, makes his way across a wooden bridge back to the doorstep of the Inverse Battle house where the three had parted ways. He's about to knock and report his (lack of) findings back to Calem, when he hears a deep, gutteral roar coming from a cave off to the right.

To any normal person, it would simply just be some noise to be disregarded like the miscellaneous exploding sentient rock. But to this green-haired man, this "noise" is distant, yet very clear message.

"I sense a great imbalance will fall upon this land…"

**Author's Note: Finally got this done!** **Given college's starting up again next week, I'd say it was done in the nick of time! In any case, updates might be a bit more slow, but I will work on it when I can, I promise! Until next chapter, faithful readers!**


	13. The Anistar-ry Sky

_**Chapter 13: The Anistar-ry Sky**_

"Flame Tail!"

"Too simple."

"Conflagration Canine!"

"Too wordy."

"Lionheart!"

"Too medieval."

"Uh… Agent Orange?!"

"Too… herbicidal."

"Oh c'mon, Looker! There's gotta be something!"

"Sorry, man, but none of those code names can hold a Litwick to Butt Wings!"

Seated on the ledge near Route 18's Inverse Battle house are none other than Solar and Calem, passing the time away by searching for a less abhorrent alias for the amber-eyed adolescent.

"V-Creator?! Searing Shooter!"

"Interesting, but still no."

But really, Calem, you could afford to be a _bit _more co-operative. Some of them actually aren't half bad. …Well, compared to yours, anyway.

As the time continues to fly like a sugar-crazed Celebi, the pair can spot a certain someone walking their way, just as monochromatically-clothed as ever. With a slightly wearied expression, Serena saunters on closer, soon to be greeted by the eerily exact same salutation. "Hey, Rainbow Antlers! How goes the search?"

"…How long have you two been planning that?"

"We didn't plan anything!"

The simultaneous synchronization seems to suggest otherwise.

"…In any case, the answer to, uh, both your questions is… fruitless. Didn't find a thing on Route 19."

"Well, I suspected as much." With a mildly disappointed face, the disheveled detective rises from Froakie form and onto his feet. "But still, it never hurts to be thorough. Isn't that right-"

"Eclipse! That's cool, right?!"

"Hmm. Nice and punny, but it lacks that certain… je n'ai sais quoi. Sorry, Butt Wings, you'll have to better."

"What are you two talking abou… On second thought, never mind. I don't think I want to know." As per the usual, Serena lets out an exasperated sigh. "Anyway, what's the word on N? Has he come back yet?"

Her fellow Kalosian hero pauses. "…Come to think of it, no. I haven't seen him since we parted ways a while back. With hair like that, I think I would've spotted him…"

While the two heroes ponder the green-haired man's whereabouts, a shining glint of light quickly catches the corner of Solar's wandering eye.

"Uh, guys? What's that there?"

Following his gaze, both Calem and Serena can now discern see the glint's source: a golden Rubix Cube detached from owner's belt, lying atop a section of abandoned mine cart tracks.

With concerned curiosity, Calem runs over and clutches it in his hand. In the process, he inadvertently presses the cube's main button, soon filling the air around them with the Unovan's enigmatic leitmotif.

"The deserted rails of Terminus Cave…" The disheveled detective takes a deep breath for dramatic effect as he turns toward the entrance of the cavern ahead. "It looks we may just be… on the right track."

With a lack of iconic sunglasses or disembodied screaming voice to put the finishing impact on his one-liner, he hurriedly leads the party through the wood-framed archway.

Once inside, the orange-haired adolescent is (as usual) the first to speak, doing one of the things he does best: stating the obvious.

"Wow. It sure is dark in here!"

"Heh heh. You certainly got that right, Butt Wings. Luckily for us, I got just the solution."

Grabbing one of his waist-mounted Poke Balls, Calem loudly calls out his command.

"Light the way, Amaterasu!"

From the resulting burst of brightness, a bipedal, burgundy-furred fox appears, signature blazing branch in paw. At just a shade shorter than Solar's height, the detective's Delphox has no problems providing the group with the approximate eye level illumination that they need. Giving the amber-eyed adolescent a face full of ear fur at every turn is also of no difficulty.

"H-hey! That tickles! S-stop that!"

With the beacon of flame burning bright, this motley bunch makes short work of navigating through the labyrinthine location, due in no small part to the two Heroes' familiarity of the region. As the minutes continue to pass, the group goes deeper and deeper into the cavern's depths, searching with a rising sense of urgency…

Soon, the quartet of Trainers and Pokemon set foot in the innermost chamber of the cavern. Running ahead of the pack, the Pyroar-shirted teen proceeds further in, yelling at the top of his lungs.

"N! N! YOU IN HERE?!"

…Causing a whole swarm of Noibats to fly by his face in a panic.

_Noibat Swarm used Fly!_

_WHAP!_

"ACK!"

_WHAP!_

"WAAH!"

_WHAP!_

"URF!"

_WHAP!_

"GACK!"

_WHAP!_

"GAAAH!"

_Hit 5 time(s)!_

Once the deluge of nocturnal mammals had passed, the heroes and the fox make their way further in and soon lay eyes on what they came for. Standing atop a stone plateau in the back is none other than the very verdant-haired wanderer they sought.

"Solar! Serena! Calem! Nice to see you all again!" N waves enthusiastically, in case his point wasn't clear. "I was going to call you, but I can't seem to get any reception down here."

"Well, that explains it." With his awkward two-fingered grip, the disheveled detective holds out the detached Rubix Cube like a pendulum. "After I saw this just laying around, I thought you may have gotten into some kind of trouble."

"Oh, that. Huh. Chain must've become undone again." He walks over to Calem and retrieves/reattaches the aforementioned accessory. "There we go! Good as new!"

"Well, that's great and all, but I have to ask," Serena's cerulean eyes focus in on his face as she makes her inquiry. "What exactly are you doing in here, N?"

"Here's the thing, I was just about to meet back with the others by the Inverse Battle house, when I thought that I heard something coming from this cave."

"I see." With a similar inquisitive gaze, the other Kalosian hero poses a question. "Did you find out any useful clues, then?"

"…No, unfortunately. The mysteries we've got are still as mysterious as ever, I'm afraid."

Calem gives a nonchalant shrug. "Well, that's alright, I guess. I should've known nothing would've turned up here either." With a subtle sigh, he then proceeds to pull a long rope from his pants pocket that couldn't possibly fit inside and gives it a firm tug with an unsettling smile. "Well then, I guess there's just one thing left to do."

"…Uh, Looker? What're you holding?"

"Isn't it obvious, Butt Wings? Something that'll… speed things up a bit."

"Wh-what exactly are planning to do with tha-"

"Just hold still and don't struggle…"After speaking those words in the most creepy and ominous way possible, Calem revolves the rope in air before swiftly lassoing the entire group, himself included.

_VWIIIP!_

"Heh heh… Hope none of you get motion sick!"

_Calem used an Escape Rope!_

As the group escapes by inexplicably spinning in place (and Solar gets a veritable Hurricane of ear fur in his face), no one seems to notice the extra occupied Poke Ball attached to N's belt…

_A few dizzying seconds later_…

"Ugh… I feel more n-nauseous than the last time I rode the Nimbasa rollercoaster..."

"A-actually, that was… kinda f-fun…"

"S-speak for yourself, Solar…" Serena, definitively disoriented, struggles momentarily to regain her balance. Then noticing a strange emptiness, she pats her head a couple times. "H-hold on. What happened to my hat?"

Calem, not in the least bit fazed, immediately turns to his vulpine companion to see his friend's fedora conveniently hanging off a bushy aural tuft. "Making a certain fox look very stylish, that's what."

"…W-well, stylish or not, I still it back."

"Aw… But he likes it…"

Once the headgear returns to its rightful owner, the quartet of trainers resumes their travels. Traversing through grassy fields, a wooden bridge, and the occasional Durant ambush, they soon make their arrival in the city of Anistar. And almost immediately after going through the gate, before even catching sight of the bustling city populace, the group is greeted by a chilling breeze. If you've been reading the whole story up till now, I think you know what's coming next.

"Ah… AH… ACHOOOOO!"

_Solar used Sneeze!_

_Serena flinched!_

"Ugh… Should've known that would happen." The girl lets out another signature sigh, then points to a building off in the distance. "Look, Solar, there's a clothing store right over there. How about you do us all a favor and go buy yourself a coat."

"I-I suppose… But still, what about the investiga-ah… AH-"

With extreme speed, Calem reaches out and plugs Solar's nose.

_Solar used Sneeze!_

_But it failed!_

"No need to worry there, Butt Wings! The rest of us will see if we can get any useful information around town while you're gone. Once you've got what you need, just cross one of the bridges on the other side of town. We'll rendezvous by the giant sundial."

"O-OK then, Looker. S-sounds like a pla- aaah…. AAAH-"

_Serena used Protect!_

"-CHOO!"

A short saunter later, after temporarily parting ways, our Pyroar-shirted protagonist soon enters through the glass-paneled door to the Anistar Boutique.

"Welcome, sir!" A red-bereted woman in a blue blouse greets him in a chipper, upbeat voice. "How may I help you today?"

"Hi there! Just thought I'd drop by here to get something nice and warm! You got anything in orange?"

"Well, sir, if you look behind me, we have a vast array of coats and jackets to choose fro-"

_WOOSH!_

The poor lady didn't know what hit her.

"Hmm… What this?! Oh wait! What's that?! Ooh! Wonder what that is!"

…I think we should leave him be for now. This could take a while.

_Meanwhile…_

"Nice view, isn't it, N?"

"It sure is, Serena. Absolutely breathtaking!"

Walking across the smooth metallic southernmost bridge, N and the Kalosian heroes decide to take some time for some pre-investigative sightseeing. The pink crystalline sundial, the pride of Anistar, looms majestically in the distance, contrasted by the surrounding clear and shining blue waters. All the while, the bright daytime sun reaches its peak, allowing the structure it shines over to showcase its wonderful reflective properties. It almost makes you forget a trio of ninjas are on the loose, doesn't it?

"So, how do you the Kalos region so far? Is it every bit as beautiful as you thought it'd be?"

"Even more so, Calem. It really lives up to its name and then some!"

"Remember, it's Looker. But yeah, I'm glad you like it here. It really is the sort of thing poets have spent their lives trying to capture on paper. Not an easy thing to give justice to, is it?" With hands interlocked behind his head, Calem continues on. "So, how about you? You write much?"

"Honestly, I've always been more of math person myself."

"Ah, yes, formulas, theorems, all that good stuff. Fascinating in its own right, I suppose. But still, you at least keep a journal or something? I know I do."

"Well, I-"

In an instant, the trio's conversation is cut off by the sound of trumpets piercing the previously peaceful noon-day sky; completely out the blue, the ominously fast-paced beginnings of a villainous leitmotif echo through the frigid air…

_Meanwhile…_

"Th-thank you for your purchase, sir! W-we hope to see you again!" The red-bereted woman, out of breath as a result of trying to keep up with her orange-capped customer, bids Solar adieu, who leaves the store wearing the fluffy crimson coat he settled on after about half an hour of running left, right, and perhaps up the occasional wall or two. The lady, with what energy she has left, enthusiastically waves the boy goodbye on his way out. However, the moment the door closes, the boutique's wearied worker collapses from exhaustion. Sorry, lady, you've met your match.

As for the amber-eyed adolescent, he steps back in the midst of chilly atmosphere of Anistar to find that his sneezing urge has (at long last) abated.

"Hmm, not as warm as Roarstrike, but it gets the job done!"

But something's still off. As he makes his way to the rendezvous point, the rest of the city appears deserted. Not a soul can be seen outside, not even a furisode-clad mind reader.

"Where is everybody?"

Crossing the northernmost bridge, Solar soon receives his answer. Filling the expansive circular plaza is a thick crowd consisting of the city's denizens. Up upon an elevated platform in the distance is a tall, tan-skinned woman, with an elaborate violet hairstyle and silver star-shaped earrings. And atop the shining crystalline sundial are three white-haired figures in identical dark gray outfits, accompanied by their Pokemon, making swipe after destructive swipe at the self-same landmark.

"Triad of shadows, your senseless rampage stops here! You all shall not pass!"

"Is that so?" With anger in his voice, the member dubbed Milieu snaps. "Just who do you think you are?!"

"My identity?" The woman raises her arm from under her robe-like shawl, revealing the cosmic design of its underside. "Gym Leader Olympia, that is who I am." And in a large flash of light, she somehow simultaneously activates 3 Poke Balls.

_Gym Leader Olympia sent out Sigilyph, Slowbro and Meowstic!_

However, before she can call out a command, the ninja trio get the pre-emptive strike.

"Absol, Night Slash!"

"Bisharp, Night Slash!"

"Accelgor, Bug Buzz!"

_SHWAK!_

_SHNIK!_

_BZZZH!_

_Sigilyph, Slowbro and Meowstic fainted!_

Just as instantly as they arrived on the scene, Olympia's entire team had been taken out, much to her astonishment.

"I've been defeated… I simply cannot believe… that this could happe-"

"A Gym Leader, you say?! That was such a pathetic display, it's almost a pity!"

"You can't stop us!"

As they did before at Parfum Palace, Gauche and Droite respond with a couplet of seamless statements. Upon hearing this, Solar is reminded of his last encounter and quickly weaves through the crowd to the very front. The orange-capped kid shouts at the top of his lungs once more, with a burning passion for vengeance.

"YOU THREE AGAIN! I've got a major Marowak-sized bone to pick with you!"

But just as he cries out those words, a hand clasps him on the shoulder.

"I admire your tenacity, Butt Wings, but how about you just leave this one to us."

"Hunh?! Looker?!"

Off to Solar's side, the disheveled detective smiles and turns to his fellow hero. "Rainbow Antlers, let's put these guys in their place, shall we?"

"With pleasure."

And in a swift synchronized leap, the Kalosian heroes jump on to the sundial's pedestal to face their foes. Before sending out their battlers, the pair exchanges knowing gazes, as if reading the other's thoughts.

"_We can't bring out our Legendaries without drawing unnecessary attention…"_

"…_So we'll just have to go with our usual battle combo!"_

_Kalosian Heroes Serena and Calem sent out Greninja and Mawile!_

Not wasting any time, the Triad's fighters charge forth at the azure amphibian and flytrap-esque fairy.

"Absol! X-Scissor!"

A swipe of two clawed paws.

"Bisharp! Low Sweep!"

A kick of a steel clad leg.

"Accelgor! Focus Blast!"

A ball of golden energy.

_FWIP! FWIP! FWIP!_

All three attacks are effectively neutralized by a spontaneously-appearing green hued barrier.

_Greninja used Mat Block!_

"You set back there?"

"You bet, Rainbow Antlers!"

_Mawile used Swords Dance!_

Seeing his fighter's jaws literally chomping at the bit, Calem then taps a stone-encrusted bracelet on his right wrist.

"It's time to go on the offensive!"

A bright and noisy sphere of light envelops the fairy and quickly rises toward the clouds.

_Calem's Mawile Mega Evolved into Mega Mawile!_

As the fairy flytrap descends after its flashy high jump, it comes down at an unnerving velocity toward Gauche and Droite's Pokemon, two menacing maws wide open.

"Iiiiiiiit's… play time!"

_CHOMP!_

_CHOMP!_

_Mawile used Play Rough!_

Once in the sharp-toothed grasp of the large steel jaws, the mischievous muncher gives out a impish grin on its true face and proceeds to… Uh… Actually, I think its best to leave this attack to your imaginations…

_*Assorted painful noises*_

Then under the cover of its ally's antics, Serena's tongue-scarfed tussler fires off a large pillar of water aimed straight at Milieu's Bisharp.

"Take this!"

_Greninja used Hydro Pump!_

_SPLOOSH!_

And its intended target slams right into the ancient timepiece it once tried to destroy.

_BAM!_

Yet again, to the Triad's chagrin, the battle is over, with all three of their fighters laying on the ground, incapacitated.

"Grr… You meddlesome brats! Always interfering!" With even more rage than before, the trio's apparent leader sneers back at the victors. "But annoying as you are, we won't rest until we've achieved our goals, I assure you of that! For Ghetsis!"

Gauche and Droite then rejoin Milieu by his side as they all perform their signature Grenin-jutsu hand signs.

"So long!"

_The Shadow Triad fled!_

A few moments pass by in silence in the event's wake, before an Eruption of applause and cheers comes from the crowd, running to side of the brave battling pair.

"You two were amazing!"

"Thank you, whoever you are!"

"How'd you two manage to pull that off?!"

"I think the bags under your eyes are beautiful!"

"You totally trounced those guys!"

Even Anistar's poetic purple-haired Gym Leader offers up a tribute.

"Two courageous youths, stand up to their enemies. Truly great heroes!"

But in the midst of all the adulation, the same sobering thought goes through the minds of each of our four protagonists.

"_The Shadow Triad already? What were they doing here of all places?"_

Well, unless of course their name is Solar, in which case it is, _"URF! GACK! Please stop stepping on my -MMPH!- face!"_


	14. A Not-So-Trivial Pursuit

**Author's Note: Well, this chapter took longer than I anticipated. Thanks for bearing with me, faithful readers! I will do my best to make sure future updates won't take as long, so worry not! And as always, reviews are greatly appreciated! Tell me what you liked, what you didn't, and what made you laugh like a… uh, what's a Pokemon that laughs a lot?**

_**Chapter 14: A Not-So-Trivial Pursuit**_

"H-hey, Looker! Wh-what's the rush?!"

"Look, I know your face must hurt like crazy right now -seriously, who would've thought so many people in Anistar wore cleats- but we have to hurry!"

"H-how come he didn't warn us earlier?!"

"Whatever it is, it's not just some scratching up of a sundial! Like I said, Calamity only breaks out for a really good reason, Butt Wings! Now let's move!"

Nearing the brick-walled exit gate, the motley quartet is once again on the move under the quadrupedal leadership of Calem's Absol. And in spite of his usual hyperactive self, Solar finds himself in the back of the pack, struggling to keep up. Getting stampeded over tends to have that effect on people. However, the aliasing agent doesn't hesitate for a moment; he has no intention of leaving any leeway for an impending disaster, be it truth dragons, misanthropic felines-

"Get back here, my little Smoochum-pie! I just want to spend more time staring into your beautiful sleep-deprived eyes!"

-or an obsessed lady stalker.

"RUUUUN!"

And faster than you can say "Not until Lavaridge Town freezes over!" the group picks up the pace, feet clomping against the pavement faster than a Rapidash who just ate a Spelon Berry. All the while, the disheveled detective can't help but turn the metaphorical gears in his mind once more.

"_Dendemille Town… I never thought we'd actually run into the Triad before that point… First, no sign of them in Snowbelle and then that encounter back there… Something's off, I just know it. But… what? And what exactly is Calamity picking up now? They couldn't possibly be ready to cause more havoc already. …Could it be-"_

_POOMPH!_

…At least until the entire group runs face first into a wall of snow.

"Pfah! Plah! This snowfall is even worse than Iccirrus City! Now what are we supposed to do?"

Calem, after shaking the snow out of his hair, bites his thumb contemplatively. "Good question, N… I don't think the resident Mamoswine will be enough to hold us all in one trip… I could always bring out Primether, but-"

"MMPH MMPH MMPH M-M-M-MMMPH!"

"Sigh… I'll get him." With a sharp tug, Serena yanks the orange-capped kid by the ankle: just about the only of part him not lodged deep in the frigid fortification before them.

"WHOA!" Solar crumples on his hands and knees to catch his breath before standing up again. "Haah… haah… A-anyway, as I was saying, I got a better idea! C'mon out, Roarstrike!" He quickly hops on his Arcanine's fuzzy back and loops his arms around the canine's neck with a confident smirk. "I'll just clear the path for you guys! Roarstrike! Flare Blitz!"

"RRRRR-RRRAAAARRC!"

The conflagrating canine sets himself ablaze once more, with its master on board, and charges ahead.

"Right! …Left! Go! Go! GO!"

And with remarkable speed, the fiery pair blaze a trial through the white landscape, making short work of the wall of snow before them.

"Well, that works too. Nice thinking there, Butt Wings!"

"…For once."

_FWOOOOOM!_

In hardly any time at all, despite the considerable distance, Solar reaches the route's end, a moist and muddy pathway in his wake. "Hah hah! Take that, cold weather!"

With yet another smirk filled with pride, our Pyroar-shirted protagonist takes a moment to savor his accomplishment while the group catches up. After getting pecked, stung, and thrown into a wall on more than one occasion, Solar is ecstatic about something actually going right. In fact, he feels so ecstatic with his efforts that he doesn't even notice that his brand-new coat has been all but burnt to a crisp. (As for how he himself ends up unscathed… your guess is as good as mine.) However, as the old saying goes, pride always goes before a display of gratuitous violence. …Wait, what?

"…Hunh? WAAAAAA-"

_BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_

"URK! UWACK! GAAH! …Oh, that actually feels kinda ni- AAAACK!"

_Delibird Horde used Present!_

"…Uh, I'd like to retract my previous statement."

"Sigh… You're not the only one, Calem."

"DELI! DELI! DELIBIIIIIIIIIIRD!"

_A couple dozen explosions later_…

"…Well. That was a bit of a set back."

"Th-that's what you call that, Looker?! Th-that was more like a… ah… AH… ACHOOOO!"

And just like that, the once snuggled-up Solar is back to his shivering, sneezing, and assaulted-on self, much to Serena's chagrin.

"…Not again…"

"In any case, it was a good thing N was to talk them down, Butt Wings. Those sure were some angry birds…" The insomniac investigator then grabs a handful of tiny ice-blue fruit from his pocket. "Now, how about a Yache Berry? Inver said they work wonders against the cold-"

Without another moment's hesitation, the orange-capped kid swiftly snatches the entire bunch and messily chows it down.

_Chomp! Chomp! Splurt!_

"-and I thought you'd like one…"

"…W-whoa! I feel better already!"

Calem lets out a sheepish chuckle"…Well, glad to hear it!" But immediately, the insomniac investigator's demeanor reverts. "But now we have to make up for lost time. Come on, everyone!"

And in a matter of a few full-sprinting minutes, the traveling Trainers traverse like mad Tauros through the town famed for its towering windmill. Running up elevated cobblestone walkways and over a steel-paved bridge, the howls of Calem's Absol grow ever the more frequent. They don't need N's translation capabilities to know that they're drawing closer to the location of the looming disaster. The group continues on a winding dirt path until they find themselves at the entrance to Frost Cavern, at which point, Calamity comes to an abrupt halt.

"Well, looks like this is the place. Doesn't seem like anything is amiss. So, what's the plan, Cal- er, Looker?"

"The same one from Snowbelle, Rainbow Antlers: we split up. …But with one exception."

"And what's that?"

"Instead of pairs, I think it'd be best if we each go solo. Things tend to get a bit… slippery up ahead."

"Right. Then let's get to it."

_A short while later_…

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaa…."

Though liberated from his low-temperature limitation, Solar finds himself the victim of yet another unfortunate predicament: traction.

_THUD!_

Or should I say the lack thereof.

"Unnnh… That'll take some getting used to…"

On the second floor of (the somewhat-affectionately named) "Slip-N'-Slide Mountain", the amber-eyed adolescent is doing an amazing job of proving his impromptu nickname apt.

Here a…

_THUD!_

There a…

_THUD!_

Everywhere a…

_THUD! THUD!_

In virtually every direction imaginable, the orange-capped kid glides not-so-gracefully across the ice, constantly slamming into rocks, flying past various fellow spelunkers, and narrowly avoiding taking a dip into a chilling river.

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-whoooOOOOOOAAAA!"

But after a spectacularly inept, half-hour long display of coordination, he eventually manages to make his way over to the snowy staircase leading to the uppermost level.

"Whew… Made it…"

Upon entry, nothing seems out of the ordinary; the landscape is still as blindingly white as the floors below. But as Solar saunters further in, the atmosphere around him becomes unnaturally warmer. Undeterred, he wanders further in to the rearmost alcove, where the foreboding heat reaches its peak. Utterly bewildered, the orange-capped kid then looks up at the ceiling to find it tinged a strikingly fiery red hue, rapidly melting away.

"Wh-what in the?!"

_FWOOOO… BOOM!_

The explosion blasts a large hole overhead, sending our Pyroar-shirted protagonist careening into the rock wall behind him.

_WHAM!_

As the early-afternoon sun beats down through the newly-blasted breach, the sound of flapping wings reverberates throughout the room, gradually rising in volume. Solar looks back up just as the mysterious entity makes its landing with a palpable tremor. A few feet away from him, the creature towers majestically, its flowing white fur matching the color of the surrounding snow. It locks its crystal-blue eyes with the blown-back boy, tail, reminiscent of a jet engine, glowing a searing scarlet. Then as the atmosphere fills with swarm of feverish embers, it lets out a loud howling roar, ringing both melodious and intimidating at the same time.

_GWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOAH!_

Though thoroughly taken aback, Solar shows no sign of backing down from this beast or the mysterious rider on its back.

"Who are you?! And just what do ya think you're doin' blasting holes in mountains, huh?!"

"…"

"…Hey! What's the matter?! Espurr got your tongue?!"

"…"

"C'mon now, use your words! It's not that hard!"

Between the beast's angelic wings, a voice under an eye-obscuring cap breaks its former silence. "Words… are the source of all misunderstanding… But if you must know, my name is Hil."

"So, _you're_ the one I've heard so much about!" A determined glare quickly develops in Solar's eyes as he recalls the discussion at Calem's early morning meeting. "I've got a lotta questions to ask you, Hil!"

The dragon's rider then takes a deep breath. "Everything can be understood… through Pokemon battles!"

_Hero(?) of Truth Hil would like to battle!_

"C'mon out, Azurelight!"

After an 11-chapter absence, Solar's sentient chandelier finally makes his long-awaited return.

"So tell me! What are you up to?! Destroying stuff isn't really heroic, you know!"

Hil silently responds with a commanding gesture. And soon, a large mass of flames overhead bathes the room in a red light.

_Reshiram used Fusion Flare!_

"Heh! You think that attack's gonna work on us?!" Smirking confidently, the orange-capped kid fearlessly faces the fire. However, as the colossal crimson fireball draws nearer, his Chandelure's eyes quickly widen in fright.

"…Uh, Azurelight? What's wron-"

_Reshiram is radiating a blazing aura!_

_FWOOOOO… BOOOOOM!_

And a large fiery explosion rattles the entire cavern.

"Wh-whoa! Th-that was intense!" Both Trainer and Pokemon are spectacularly blown backward once more. Solar, though shaken, gets back on his feet, adjusting his hat with a signature smirk. "But we ain't going down that easy! Give 'em a Shadow Ball to the face!"

And with an adorably devious glare, Azurelight does just that.

_BAM!_

"Now how 'bout you answer my question! What exactly do you think you're doing?! And were you really the one behind blowing up Pokemon Village?!"

The dragon of truth easily shrugs off the impact, remaining as stoically silent as its master. With another wordless arm wave, Hil issues the next command. The winged beast promptly opens its maw.

_Reshiram used Dragon Breath!_

In a sweeping arc, the draconic halitosis hits its target straight in the bulb. But this time, its mark manages to stay in place.

_Azurelight is paralyzed!_

Perhaps a little too well. But this doesn't deter the orange-haired teen from speaking out

"Hey! Don't ya know N's been searching like crazy for you?! You know, your _friend_! What do you think he'd say if he saw what you're doing right now?!"

"…"

Annoyed by his inquires going ignored, anger begins to rise within the amber-eyed adolescent. "Fine then! Don't answer! Let's see how you like this!"

_Solar withdrew Azurelight!_

_Solar sent Roarstrike!_

"Extremespeed!"

A split-second later, Solar's Arcanine collides head on with his vast white foe…

_Critical hit!_

…Right in the crotch fur.

The winged beast stumbles backwards, locking a pained, wrathful gaze onto its opponent.

"Feeling a bit more talkative now, Hil?!"

The obscured enigma only shoots back a frown.

_GWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOAH!_

_Reshiram used Hyper Voice!_

The shockwave promptly pushes back its recipient, paws skidding against the partially-melted floor.

"Rrr… So that's how it's gonna be, is it?!" A furious fire then burns brightly in the eyes of both the boy and his dog.

"OUTRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE!"

"RRR-RAAAAAAAAAAAAAARC!"

Without mercy, the conflagrating canine make swipe after savage swipe at his crotch-furred foe.

"RRRRRRR-RARC!"

Hind paw, left leg.

"RRRRRRR-RARC!"

Front paw, right wing.

"RRRRRRRRRRR-RAAAAARC!"

Full jaw, long neck.

All the indifference rapidly fades from Hil, immediately replaced with clenched fists and gritting teeth. Another sweeping gesture, and Reshiram flies around erratically, desperately trying to shake loose its latched-on opposition.

_GWOOOOOOOOAH!_

It then sets its tail aglow and rockets across the cavern at unnerving speeds…

_WOOOOOSH!_

…And pulls a sharp ascent, leaving Roarstrike to crash into the back wall.

_WHAM!_

Not waiting for the icy dust to settle, Solar rushes ahead to recall his canine companion, damp footsteps loudly echoing in the air around him. But a dreadful realization soon surfaces as the truth dragon's open maw fills ominous blue embers.

"_No… No! I'm not gonna make it in time!"_

Under the eye-obscuring cap, a sinister toothy smile breaks its former silence to issue an vehement order.

"Reshiram! Blue Flare!"


	15. Felis Ex Machina

_**Chapter 15: Felis Ex Machina**_

_Clomp-omp-omp…_

_Clomp-omp-omp…_

_Clomp-omp-omp…_

As his frantic steps echo through the icy cavern, time seems to slow down for a panicked Solar.

_Fwooo…._

Several yards away, well out of his reach, Reshiram opens its majestic muzzle, a mass of blue flames grows larger and larger, melting the once-solid stalactites.

"Nnnn…. Nnn…."

And directly in the path of the azure fireball lies an Arcanine, weakly whimpering at the sight of the impending attack. It does nothing to alleviate his master's fears..

"_This is bad! That dragon's something else! Fire-type or not, Roarstrike won't stand a chance!" _Solar's steps soon pick up speed. "C'mon feet! Don't fail me now!"

However, the gulf between him and his Pokemon leaves him wishing that Poke Balls worked like they did on TV. But alas, no convenient long-range laser beam is able to help him.

_Reshiram used Blue Flare!_

The orange-capped kid reflexively outstretches his arm, but it is to no avail. The obscured enigma grins sadistically as the dragon it rides rears back its head, fangs gleaming in a harsh blue light…

_WHAM!_

…And gets knocked flat on its face?!

The amber-eyed adolescent whips his head around to see, a few feet behind him, a familiar fuchsia-colored feline, piercing crimson eyes soon meeting his.

_Mewtwo used Psystrike!_

With gazes locked, the cat and kid exclaim the exact same sentence.

"You again!"

While Reshiram and its rider struggle to get back on their feet, Solar continues on. "Well, if it isn't Mr. Grumpy Cat! What're you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question, orange-hair! I saw a giant fiery explosion and flew here straightaway! I will have you know that I am not about to let the Pokemon Village incident to repeat itself!" Like before, the feline misanthrope shoots a scarlet scowl.

"H-hey! Don't look at me! This wasn't my fault either!" He then points behind him. "If you're looking for the culprits, it's those two right there!"

The feline lifts its gaze beyond the orange-capped kid and lays eyes on the white-winged beast and its mysterious master. Its scowl intensifies with a telepathic outcry. "…So, we meet again, so-called "Hero of Truth!" With an outstretched paw, the cat's words resonate as loud as a snore from Solar. "You will pay for your misdeeds here and now!"

_VweeeeeeEEEEEE…_

_Mewtwo Mega Evolved into Mega Mewtwo X!_

In response to the luminous display, Hil swiftly pulls out a spray bottle and empties its contents onto the dragon's neck.

_Hil used a Full Restore!_

You think you've got your opponent cornered and then they just have to pull that old trick. Don't you just hate it when that happens?

Apparently, so does the crimson-eyed cat, wasting no time in flying headfirst into its foe, leaving a strong blast of wind in its wake.

_Mewtwo used Zen Headbutt!_

_WHAM!_

With considerable force, Reshiram is spectacularly blown back into the wall behind it, chunks of ice raining down from the ceiling above.

_Reshiram flinched!_

"You will not get away with what you've done, 'Hero'! This is for all the Pokemon you hurt!"

Psychically gathering the debris from all around, Mewtwo's right fist is quickly encased in ice and set on a crash course for the winged beast's face.

_Mewtwo used Ice Punch!_

_POW!_

The feline's foe is driven even further in the frigid rock, deepening the wall's indentation. When the dust settles, it reveals one immobilized white-furred dragon.

_Reshiram is frozen solid!_

Blinking in disbelief, Solar and his canine companion can't help but be awestruck. But, despite itsopponent's current incapacitated state, Mewtwo does not let up. With a crimson-colored glare, the cat backs up for momentum…

_Reshiram used Blue Flare!_

…But is soon meet with a jet of cerulean flames.

_FWOOOOOOOOM!_

"Hmph! Tenacious, but that won't work!"

Nigh instantaneously, the feline fighter changes form once again in a burst of light…

_Mewtwo changed Forme to Mega Mewtwo Y!_

_Fwip!_

And promptly avoids the attack.

_Reshiram's attack missed!_

But unfortunately for our Pyroar-shirted protagonist, the searing stream continues its course, headed straight his way.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Luckily, he dives off to the side just in time, evading disaster by the skin of his butt wings.

Hil, forgoing silent gestures, calls out another command.

"Reshiram, Draco Meteor!"

_GWOOOOOOOOOOAH!_

And the once-bright sunlight trickling into the cavern dims at an alarming rate.

_Neeeeaaaaoo…._

_BOOM!_

A glowing rock crashes in a few feet off to Solar's left.

_BOOM!_

Another one flies in only a foot away from his face with a palpable shockwave.

_BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_

Three more rain down, creating even more holes overhead, each one larger than the last.

With teeth gritted, Solar yet again narrowly avoids the incoming barrage left and right.

"Man! I just can't catch a breeeaaaaaak!"

On the other hand, Mewtwo has no such problems, easily evading the meteoric maelstrom. "You won't be able to take me out that easily!"

_Fwip!_

One dodged.

_Fwip! Fwip!_

Two more avoided.

_Fwip! Fw-fwip!_

Three more meteors miss their mark.

_Neaaaooo…_

But immediately, another large one falls directly in Mewtwo's path…

"Hrrrrrr-RAAAAAAH!"

_Mewtwo used Aura Sphere!_

…And shatters to harmless pebble-sized pieces.

All the while, the obscured enigma looks on amidst the chaos, gazed locked contemptuously at the vengeful violet-tail charging ahead with a veritable army of prismatic psychic spheres.

"There is no escape, so-called hero!"

_Mewtwo used Psystrike!_

But despite the feline's fury, Hil appears unnerved as the room begins to glow a burning red hue.

_Reshiram used Fusion Flare!_

"Grumpy Cat! Get outta there!"

"I don't take orders from you, orange-hair!"

Disregarding the adolescent's admonition, Mewtwo charges forward.

"Hey! Listen! You seriously need to get outta the way of that fireball!"

"Silence! You sound like an annoying blue fairy!" The crimson-eyed cat continues its course, undeterred.

"_He's gonna get himself in a world of pain if this keeps up! Maybe even worse!" _With his mind on overdrive, Solar calls out to his canine companion…

"Roarstrike! Body Slam!"

Just as the intense immolation impacts the cavern floor.

_FWOOOOOO…._

"RRR-RAAARC!"

_WHUMP!_

_BOOOOOOOOM!_

_Elsewhere…_

_BOOOOOOOOM!_

"Another explosion?! Just what has Butt Wings gotten himself into this time?!"

"Solar's in trouble? How do you know it's not Serena?"

The detective narrows his insomniac eyes. "Really? The guy's a Magneton for trouble!"

"…Right. I guess that was a bit of a dumb question."

Hot on the trail of the loud noise, Calem and N join forces to track down the source. Making their way through stalagmite-ridden labyrinth, they frantically search, tension and sense of dreadful déjà vu mounting. And while still a very slippery journey, the pair fares much better traversing the icy terrain than a certain amber-eyed adolescent. But though armed with superior navigational skills, they can't help but feel that they can't get to their destination fast enough. Both disheveled detective and green-haired Trainer slide past the last few obstacles and proceed to scale the snowy staircase to the third floor…

Upon arrival, the pair spots 3 figures sprawled out on the ground: a crimson-eyed cat, an orange-furred canine, and our Pyroar-shirted protagonist. While running to their side, Calem is the first to inquire about the predicament.

"What in the world happened?"

"They… got away…" Solar mutters, struggling to sit back up.

"Hold on, who got away?"

Mewtwo rises up to one knee. "…Grrr… I almost had them!"  
Irritated, the amber-eyed adolescent interjects. "Yeah, almost had them fry you up like a Torchic!"

"Silence, orange-hair! I would have taken them down if it weren't for your interference!"

"The name's _Solar_! And just so you know, that 'interference' saved you becoming a Kalos Fried Grumpy-Cat! I think Roarstrike'd appreciate a thank you right about now!" Off to his right, he gives his Arcanine a comfortable pet on the mane.

"Nonsense! I could have taken them on by myself!"

"This coming from the cat who got knocked out cold last time?!"

"Tch…"

In an attempt to curtail the rising animosity, N intervenes. "Hey, hey, there's no need to argue, you two! Just calm down!"

"Yeah, N's right," Calem continues, "Butt Wings here falls unconscious all the time, so don't take it personally."

"Oh c'mon, that was one time!"

"Actually, it was twice."

"Lookerrrrrr!"

The green-haired mediator clears his throat. "In any case, before things get out of hand, there's something I want to ask." He turns to the crimson-eyed cat. "I would like to request your assistance."

"My… assistance? What kind of fool do you take me for?!" Once again, Mewtwo shoots a piercing glare.

"Hey, look." The cube-wearing conversationalist locks eyes with the fuchsia feline. "You don't trust people, and I get it. I've seen my share of Pokemon being abused and exploited ever since I can remember. It's terrible. You've seen what atrocities humanity is capable of, but so have I. …I know you don't trust us. I know you don't believe that we're much different from those who wronged you in the past. But right now, we're trying to stop those kind of people. Trying to prevent them from wreaking havoc. All I ask you is to help put an end to their rampage."

Mewtwo momentarily mulls over N's modest proposal. "Hmph. I was going to do that anyway. …Very well. Just don't get in way and there shouldn't be any problems." The feline rises to its feet. "Now, if you would excuse me, I have a dragon to catch."

"…Hold on, a… dragon?"

"Yes, green-hair, a dragon. Reshiram, I believe its rider called it."

"Its rider?" Once more, a tinge of dread wells up inside the scruffy-haired trainer. "Just who was this person?"

"My, aren't we feeling quite inquisitive." The cat sneers. "Fine, if you must know, it was the self-proclaimed "Hero of Truth". The one that goes by the name of Hil."

"…Wait, did you just say Hil?!"

_WOOOOOOSH!_

But before N has any time to react, the misanthropic Mewtwo flies off into the air above, little larger than a twinkle in the sky.

"…Well. This certainly complicates things." From the snowy staircase a few feet away, a rough, yet familiar female voice utters those words.

"Oh, Rainbow Antlers! I was wondering where you were!" The aliasing agent greets the girl with an enthusiastic wave. But Serena is far from amused with her much maligned moniker.

"Please, Calem, I'm not in the mood for code names right now." She lets out a sound halfway between a cough and a sigh.

"…Um, what happened to your voice?"

"Loudmouthed spelunker."

_Earlier…_

"I SAID, YOU COULD CAUSE AN AVALANCHE, YOU IDIOT HIKER!"

"I CAN'T STOP SHOUTING! I THINK I'LL FREEZE IF I DO!"

"FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, YOU'RE EVEN WORSE THAN SOLAR!"

Yep, that's one annoying alpinist.

**Author's Note: Wow. I honestly wasn't expecting this chapter to take this long. Sigh… C'est la vie, I suppose. But though this is the season of hectic schedules eating up writing time, I shall persevere! All Fired Up is still very much alive, people! Once more, thanks for bearing with me, faithful readers! The chapters will keep on coming, I assure you! So please, feel free to drop a review! It won't hurt! It's not like I rigged the review button to explode or anything…**


	16. A Journey in Ruins

**Author's Note: Welcome back, faithful readers! My apologies if this chapter took a while to get out. But I do have a perfectly good reason that's not college-related for once. …What's that? Ya wanna know exactly what? I think I've provided sufficient enough hints…**

_**Chapter 16: A Journey in Ruins**_

"Seriously! Ya should've seen 'im! Ol' Grumpy cat was all like, _SMASH! _'You won't get away with this, Hil!' _SMASH! _'This is for the Village!' _SMA-_"

"Say 'SMASH!' one more time, and you'll be on the receiving end of one."

With a death glare worthy of Yveltal itself, Serena makes her best attempt to silence our sprightly, air-punching protagonist. But, as per the usual, it's to no avail. This is Solar we're talking about, after all.

"OK, fine! But still, it was super! Absolutely super, I tell ya!"

"Sigh… Oh brother…"

All the while, the girl wonders what in Arceus' name was her fellow Kalosian hero doing thinking that this was a good idea. I mean, sure, splitting up again made sense; simultaneously covering Routes 15 and 16 would certainly save them some time. No problems there. She didn't even object to taking the long way back to Lumiose via Laverre City. Might as well take the scenic route to the rendezvous point, right? But, Calem, in his _infinite_ wisdom, just had to pair up his best friend with the same kid she's been avoiding like a Suicune to trainers. "Helpful to the investigation", her behind! This must've been his idea of a joke.

Oh, and speaking of behinds…

"Solar, please put your clothes back on. Your butt wings are showing."

Our barely-clothed protagonist is one pair of Victini boxers away from being completely exposed to the autumn-like atmosphere of Brun Way. (I apologize once again to those of you with very vivid imaginations.)

"Oh c'mon, gimme a break! I'm feeling crazy hot right now! That never happens!"

"That's what you get for eating too many Yache Berries."

"A couple of those little things can do that?! You gotta be kidding me!"

"One or two of them, no. One or two _dozen_, on the other hand…" Serena lets out another sigh. "Now you're hot-blooded in every sense of the word."

"Seriously?! Maaaaan! Like getting blown up twice in one day wasn't enough?!" He hunches over, sweating profusely. "Haah… I really need to cool off…"

The orange-capped kid shows no sign of losing his nigh-boundless supply of energy as he runs on ahead through fields filled with grass taller than he is (which, for once, is actually saying something) toward the stone remains of a ruined building. …Well, if waist-high walls and some cracked floors qualify for a building, that is. But naturally, none of these things make a difference to him as he descends underground via a dilapidated staircase. Serena is left exasperated once more in his half-naked wake.

"Why does this always happen?…"

Hot on the trail, she soon finds herself stepping into an unfamiliar dark enclosure reminiscent of a hotel hallway.

"Hmm… I don't think I've seen this place before…

The monochrome maiden wanders further inside, traversing the labyrinthine complex lined with faded red carpet and checkerboard tiles, searching (somewhat reluctantly) for an overheated Solar. But, try as she might, she finds no trace of him amongst the various piles of books, obscure alcoves, and the occasional shaking trash can.

"Great. Another sentient garbage bag…"

_Elsewhere in the Lost Hotel…_

"Hey, kid, I dunno what y'think yer doin' struttin' around in those fancy underpants, but we can't have that!"

"Seriously?! You guys too?! Gimme a break!"

At the threshold of a large open area, our butt-winged protagonist remains faithful to his "Magneton-for-trouble" status, locked in an argument with a gang of menacing-looking punks.

"Here's the thing," A rough-faced woman with pink pigtails steps forward with a piercing glare. "We have a bit of a clothing policy 'round here. Leather an' denim at all times. Y'may be a newbie 'round here, but you're no exception." She tosses tight-looking metal-studded black leather jacket that lands at his feet. "Luckily, we still have a spare extra small."

Before the boy can protest, a blue-haired man steps out of the shadows, head shaven save for a star-shaped tuft above his forehead. "And that's not all. No guy who wants to hang out here is gonna get away with anything other than my awesome 'do, kid!"

"S-say what?!"

_BZZZZZ_…

The electric hum of clippers emanates ominously through the air. "Don't worry, I'll make this quick…"

"N-no! No way in the world that's gonna happen, man! Nobody messes with the hair, ya hear! Nobody!" Instinctively, Solar clutches tightly to his orange hat, much to the disappointment of the would-be barber. The man walks closer with a disappointed scowl… "…Hmph, have it your way." But ultimately switches off the device. "Guess there's only one thing left to do then."

"And what's that?!"

"I'm so glad you asked. …Boss!"

The leather-clad crowd parts to make way for a gray-haired man in a white suit, who addresses our protagonist in a rather dignified tone. "You have to answer to me, young man."

The amber-eyed adolescent blinks a few times, bewildered. "…Uh, you're the boss?"

"Yes, indeed I am. Are you surprised?"

"Of course I am! I mean, what's with the suit?! I thought there was that whole dress code thing!"

"Oh, that, of course. To quote a certain master of dragons, 'screw the rules, I have money.'" The man pulls out a Poke Ball from his suit pocket. "Now, how about we get down to business."

"…Wait a sec, you wanna battle me?"

"Correct, young man. Those who do not adhere to the dress code must face me on the field of battle! The one, the only, legendary Twirling Whirlwind!" With a pair of well-worn Roller Skates, the man dashes around in a dizzying and graceful display, despite his advanced age. Once again, a signature smirk surfaces on Solar's face.

"Heh, and here I though it'd be something horrible! I'm always up for a battle! Bring it on!"

_Roller Skater Twirling Whirlwind would like to battle!_

"Go, Spinda!"

And a spotted creature best described as rabbit-panda stumbles onto the battlefield, spiral-eyed and stubby-tailed.

"A Spinda, huh? Heh, shoulda known! Well, I've got just the thing for you, Mr. Whirlwind!"

_Solar sent out Infernape!_

"Ha! You are so in for it n-" But as soon the flame-haired chimp makes her entrance, her master doubles over, sweating. "Wh-whoa… I-I don't… feel so…"

_FWUMP!_

_Solar fainted!_

And just like that, berry-induced heat stroke kicks in. That's, what now, the third time the guy falls unconscious over the course of two days? …That's actually kind of impressive. But perhaps even more impressive is how he manages to fall in such a way that he inadvertently recalls his primate pugilist.

_Solar withdrew Infernape!_

"…Oh my. That was… unexpected." The sagely skater soon does his own share of confounded blinking as the punk posse gathers around.

"Aw… I actually wanted to see how the battle would've gone. Oh well…" The blue-haired barber activates his clippers once more. "Time for a haircut!"

_BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZH…._

_WH-THAAAAK!_

Instantaneously, the orange-capped kid is whisked away by a swift pink blur.

"Now, now. I don't really think that's necessary."

Arriving on the scene is none other than the Serena and her Greninja, tongue full of Solar now in tow.

"Well, what do we have here! Looks like little Goldilocks has wandered off into the wrong part of the woods!" The pigtailed pink-hair is the first to greet her with a derisive smile. "The bad news for you is, the bears are home!"

"Sigh… Settle down. I didn't come to steal your porridge. I'm just here to retrieve my, er… friend. Now, if you'd excuse me-"

"Hey! Not so fast! Anyone who comes to our hideout either battles the boss or gets a makeover! That includes you! Now, what will it be, girly?"

"Personally, I'd prefer to just be on my way now, but whatever. I've got some time to kill." She turns to the silver-haired skater. "I presume you're the one charge. How about I be your opponent?"

"Fine by me, young lady."

_Serena, one of the Heroes of Kalos, has joined the battle!_

"Then let's begin, shall we?. The stage is yours, Altaria!"

And with a determined spark in its eyes, Bijoux's battler descends with a dulcet chirp. Because nothing says "I mean business" quite like a 3-and-a-half-foot fluffy songbird squawking at your enemies.

"Spinda! Dizzy Punch!"

At its trainer's behest, round and round the rabbit-panda goes, when it will hit, nobody kno-

"Hyper Voice, Altaria!"

_ARRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!_

_CLANG!_

And with one melodious sound wave, the Whirlwind's poor Pokemon is blown back effortlessly into the side of an oil drum.

_Altaria was such in sync with Serena's wishes that it landed a critical hit!_

Yep. That bird definitely means business.

"Ohoh! Not bad, young lady, not bad at all! But the battle has just begun! Dizzy Punch again!"

_Fwoo… fwoo… fwoo…_

And round and round Round 2 merrily goes to hit its mark.

_Poomph!_

…And barely makes a dent in its foe's thick fluff.

_Altaria used Cotton Guard!_

"Just begun, you say? I couldn't agree more!"

With widened eyes, the sagely skater is suitably more impressed than before. "Guess I'll have to pull out all the stops then! Double-Edge!"

And with reckless abandon, the spiral-eyed Spinda twirls ahead for an all-out attack…

_WHOOMPH!_

…And promptly bounces backward. Despite the rabbit-panda's efforts, Serena's cotton-clad songbird seems none the worse for wear. If anything, it's a glowing picture of health.

_Altaria became cloaked in a harsh light!_

"Now!"

_Altaria used Sky Attack!_

_WHOMP!_

Fluffy-blue comet, meet Spinda.

…_CRASH!_

Spinda, meet old concrete wall.

_Spinda fainted!_

"You are truly are an admirable opponent, young lady! However, I am far from finished yet!" The white-suited Whirlwind pulls out another Poke Ball from his jacket pocket. "Behold my trump card, Noivern!"

_RAWR-KE-KE-KE-KE-KE-KE-KE-KE-KYEEAH!_

Cool black and purple body? Check. Sleek wings and pointy tail? Check. Gigantic ears that look like subwoofers? Check. Pretty much all the things you'd want in a trump card, am I right?

"Let's see if you can weather this storm!" The skating sage performs an enthusiastic 360. "Noivern, Hurricane!"

_FWEEOOOH…_

And soon a miniature tornado heads straight for Serena's cerulean songbird at menacing speeds.

_VWOOSH!_

"So, it's not quite over yet." Though her fighter is visibly shaken, a subtle smile shows through on Serena's face. "I must say, things are starting to get interesting…"

"Dragon Pulse, Altaria!"

_SHOOOM!_

_FWIP!_

_Noivern avoided the attack!_

And at sonic speed, no less.

"You'll have to be faster than that if you want to land a strike, young lady!" The skater sage backflips gracefully through the air before calling out his next command. "Noivern! Boomburst!"

_BOO-BOOM! BOO-BOOM! BOO-BOOM!_

A barrage of cacophonic shockwaves shake the underground arena to its veryfoundations, blasting Serena's Altaria into a wall. (…Is it just me, or does that seem to happen a lot?)

_Altaria flinched!_

"Now, witness the power of _my_ Dragon Pulse!"

_RAWR-KE-KE-KE!_

And with an oddly adorable cry, the woofer-eared wyvern lets loose its own stream of draconic energy at its foe a few feet away.

_SHOOOM!_

"You're pretty good, Whirlwind…." The monochrome maiden's face then becomes plastered with a smirk reminiscent of Solar's. (But don't tell her I said that.) "Might as well break out _my_ trump card."

She promptly taps the bracelet on her right wrist…

_FweeeeEEEEEE…_

_Altaria Mega Evolved into Mega Altaria!_

…AndSerena's fluffy fighter gets even fluffier.

_It doesn't affect Altaria…_

Needless to say, the luminous sight take everyone in the room by surprise.

"I say! I had no idea your Pokemon had a Mega Evolution, young lady!"

"It's true. Hoenn researchers have only recently discovered it! …Which reminds me, I really must send my uncle a thank-you letter for the Mega Stone." She shoots her opponent a confident gaze. "But enough about that. I have a victory to claim! Altaria! Moonblast!"

The bird's cotton like feathers shine with a pink light as it lets loose its sphere of lunar luminescence.

_BOOOOF!_

_RAWR-KE-KE-KE-KE-KE-KYEEAH…_

_Noivern fainted!_

And the winner is… Serena!

"Well, Mr. Twirling Whirlwind, that was one of my more enjoyable battles in long time."

"The same could be said for me, young lady! I hadn't felt this exhilarated since I was back in my prime!" He twirls around in place again for emphasis. "As a reward, I would like to teach you my most prized skating technique: the Cosmic Flip!"

"Oh, I would be honored, but… I do have some other business to attend to."

The old man breathes out a sigh. "…Very well then. I understand. But if you're ever in the area again, I would certainly appreciate a rematch."

"Sure. I have no problem with that." The Whirlwind and his punk posse send Serena off with a fond farewell, as she traverses the labyrinthine path back to the surface. "Now then, Greninja, let's get back to business. …And don't worry, I'll make sure to give your tongue a thorough cleaning tonight."

And the ninja frog croaks with relief.


	17. Sidestory 3: An Acuity Observation

**Sidestory**_** 3: An Acuity Observation**_

"C'mon, Uxie! Why?! Why do always have to meet at your place?! It's literally freezing out here!"

"Oh, I don't know, Azelf. Maybe 'cause the last time we went to _your_ place, the whole LAKE EXPLODED! Just will yourself warm or something!"

"Now, now, settle down, you two. I'm the embodiment of emotion and even I don't get that riled up."

The sun is shining, the snow is falling, and far away from the ensuing Kalosian chaos is the level-headed Mesprit, doing her best to mediate between the beings of wisdom and willpower. Yep, it's just another typical afternoon at the Sinnoh region's Lake Acuity.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. 'We all came from the same egg, so we should get along' and all that _good_ stuff. Don't get your tails in a twist." With about as much tact as a ticked-off Serena, the blue-headed pixie begrudgingly complies. "In any case… Uxie. How about you tell us more about this kid you helped out!

"Hmph. Now where would be the fun in that?" The yellow-headed pixie shrugs its tails with a smirk. "I already told you, figure it out for yourself! This is the mystery of a lifetime we're talking here!"

"…Really? Another one of your guessing games? Why can't you just give us a straight answer for once!"

"Two words. It's fun!" And wisdom incarnate does a double backflip in the air.

"Oh yeah, _sure_ it is. Last time, we didn't even find out the answer until after the guy DIED!"

"Oh c'mon! How was I supposed to know that old man would go insane and jump headfirst into the Giant Chasm?! …That's the last time I pick criminal masterminds for these kind of things." Uxie lets out a sigh. "…Very well then. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to provide a clue, my confounded compadre."

"And just how do you propose to do that? Some obscure riddle or something?"

"It's elementary, my dear Azelf!" The red gem on Uxie's forehead begins to glow. "I'll just give you a glimpse into his past! Psychic vision time, baby!"

And soon, the rocky walls of the lake's lone cavern start to ripple and shift like an overused special effect.

_Flashback in 3... 2... 1..._

"Come out, come out wherever you _R_…"

"Com-BUSKEN!"

And once again, we join the hair-hatted boy as he prowls Hoenn's picturesque Route 104 with a devious grin.

"Heh heh heh… Thought you could escape me, huh? Well, I assure you, I am going to find you no matter what it takes! After all, I can't let my favorite test subject just slip through my fingers! Heh heh heh… AAAAHAHAHAHAHA! You can't hide from me forever, R!"

"BUS! KEN! BUS! KEN!"

Well, someone's feeling happy… in a creepy sort of way.

"_So this is the kid you helped, Uxie? I dunno about you, but he kinda seems like a crazy person."_

"_Could you please be quiet for like five minutes, Azelf?! This flashback's just started!"_

Disregarding the disembodied narration from the future, the boy continues his maniacal search, wading through patches of tall grass with his faithful fiery chicken under the noonday sun.

_Shff… shff…_

Off in the distance, another knee-high grass patch subtly rustles with activity. However, it's not subtle enough to evade detection from this predatory pair.

"Aha! There you R! …Combusken! Cut!"

"BUS… KEEEEN!"

And a swift sweeping swipe annihilates the aforementioned foliage. So much picturesque. However, both the boy and his Pokemon are quickly caught off-guard by a tiny, tan-furred fox-like creature in the wake of their botanical destruction.

_Eevee used Sand-Attack!_

Without hesitation, the foot-tall fighter kicks up a large dust cloud straight into the eyes of its avian attacker.

"KEH!"

_Combusken's accuracy fell!_

"Heh heh. AHAHA! I've always admired your Seviper-like craftiness! Using your Pokemon as a decoy like that… Genius! But, I'm afraid that won't be enough, R! Combusken! Double Kick!"

_FWSH! FWSH!_

However, the chicken's intended target is nowhere to be found.

_Combusken's attack missed!_

"So, that's how ya wanna play it, huh? Fine by me!" The boy quickly runs ahead, sinister smirk growing wider. "Time to go wild!"

"BUSKEEEEEEN!"

_Combusken used Fury Swipes!_

_SWSH!_

_SWSH!_

_SWSH!_

_SWSH!_

_SWSH!_

_Hit 5 time(s)!_

However, despite the herbal horror show, the fiery fowl's efforts are all but fruitless. A unsettling silence passes through the air, before…

_WHAP!_

_Eevee used Quick Attack!_

"Double Kick, again!"

"BUS! KEN!"

But yet again, the furry fighter flees before getting a face full of chicken feet.

_Combusken's attack missed!_

"Heh heh. You sure aren't making this easy for me, are you… I like it!" The boy's malicious grin widens even more while he surveys the area with squinting scrutiny. "…Now… where are you…"

_Shff… shff…_

"Sorry! Still not sneaky enough!"

_Combusken used Cut!_

The boy's battler lunges forth once again…

_Eevee used Baby-Doll Eyes!_

…but stops just short of hitting its mark.

_Combusken is immobilized by adorableness!_

And the wily fox escapes again.

"Grr… That old trick, huh?" The boy grits his teeth. "OK! No more Mr. Nice KABOOM! !" He then activates one of his waist-bound Poke Balls. "Ralts! Let's get a Trace on our fugitives, shall we?!"

"Mmmmm…."

With a high-pitched hum, the pint-sized psychic puts its arms to its head, and then points at two different directions. And the boy's smile grows to Cheshire Meowth proportions.

"All right… Let's finish this up, shall we?!"

He gestures his chicken to strike the leftmost lurker, as he himself creeps slowly toward his own target. "Now… to knock out two birds with one Stone Edge… Attack!"

_Combusken used Slash!_

_KABOOM! used Dive!_

"KEEEEN!"

"Gotcha!"

"KYAAAAAAAAA!"

And cue frantically fleeing Taillow.

"Heh heh heh. Nice try, but not good enough! I told ya you wouldn't be able to esc- huh?" The boy lifts his head to see his hands full of furry, flailing fox.

"OWWWW! That really hurt, you jerk!"

Immediately realizing his blunder, the pre-pubescent pursuer sprints over in a panic to the blond-haired girl off to his left, her cheek oozing a small trickle of blood.

"R! R! You OK?! I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt ya, honest!"

…Wait a sec… What?

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But still!" The girl sits back up on the grass, pouting. "You're such a cheater, you know! Ganging up on me with two Pokemon like that… No fair!"

"It's Mad Scientist Hide-and-Seek' remember? Anything goes! And besides, if there was a Pokemon both Fire and Psychic type, I would've only needed one!"

The girl lets out a sigh. "Well, if this were a straight-up battle, I would've been the one won!"

"Yeah, I'm fully aware of that. …In any case," The boy pulls out a bandage from his pocket. "Take it. We can't have you bleeding all the way back to your uncle's, now can we, Serena."

"…I suppose not. Thanks."

As the girl applies the strip to her face, the boy jumps back up to his feet with a relieved smile and starts sprinting southward. "Last one to Littleroot Town's a Bad Egg!"

The young blonde breathes out another sigh. "…As usual."

"_OK. Hold up, hold up. This was all just some kids game?! A bit on the rough side, I'll admit, but I don't see what this has to do with any-"_

"'_Just some kids game', you say? …I wouldn't be too sure, Azelf."_

"_Huh? Whaddya mean by that, Mesprit?"_

"_Just look."_

Once the boy has gained a nigh-insurmountable lead, the girl looks down dejectedly at the grassy fields below her. "…You and your stupid games… They might've been fun at first, but now… It's all we ever do any more. Don't you even realize it?" She sighs again, lifting her gaze skyward. "For once, I just wish we could have a normal outing, you know? A chance where I can get to see the real you. The down-to-earth you. …Just… the chance to be able to-"

"C'MON, R! YOU'RE NOT EVEN TRYIN'!"

"Of course…. Coming!…"

And with the same clichéd ripple effect, the summery scenery fades from the cavern walls.

"So… Lady and 'gentleman'… What do you think? Not a bad clue, huh?"

"'Not a bad clue'? …'Not a bad clue'?!" The being of willpower waves his tails in irritation. "That didn't tell us anything at all, Uxie!"

"Actually, Azelf, I have to disagree." The patient pink-head speaks up with a stern expression. "It's still only conjecture at this point, but I believe I may have something."

"Interesting…" Wisdom's incarnation perks up with an intrigued smile. "And just what sort of theory have you come up with, Mesprit?"

"It's a theory about the girl's past. This… Serena person you mentioned before. From what I've seen, it has all the trappings of the worst kind of betrayal."

"And what kind would that be, out of curiosity?"

As the snowflakes continue to fall outside the sanctity of the cavern, a strong sadness shines through the pink pixie's eyes. "That would be… the betrayal of the heart."

"…Again with the mushy stuff? You just can't help yourself, can you…" Uxie sighs, then flashes a subtle smirk. "…However, I gotta say, you're not too far off the mark there, Mesprit… Heh heh."

_Meanwhile, back at the Kalos Region…_

"On my count! …1 …2 …3!"

"WH-THAAAAAAK!"

"…Sigh… Still no good…"

Deep in the swamplands between Laverre and Lumiose City, Serena and Greninja are working together to free the poor amphibian's tongue, which just so happens to be wrapped around a sinking, sleeping, and still-mostly-stripped Solar. Talk about being bogged down.

"Come on, Greninja, one more time. We can do this. On my mark! …1 …2 …3!"

"WH-THAAAAAAAAK!"

And umpteenth time's the charm! The frog's tongue is free, along with our unconscious protagonist. A celebration would be in order… if it weren't for the monochrome maiden getting mud splashed in her face.

_Splat!_

"Eugh…. Just great." She wipes the viscous vision-blocker off, only to find it more solid than she expected. As the mud slides off this former obstruction, Serena's face soon twists in horror at the reality of its true identity: a red-and-orange pair of custom Victini underwear.

All the while, its owner mumbles the words, "No…. Not the butt wings…. Anything but the butt wings…"

**Author's Note: And another chapter done! I feel so accomplished! Heh heh. Little bit of disclosure, I was really hoping to be twice as far in the story as I am now, but, you know, life. Also, with the release of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire in less than two weeks, updates might still be a bit on the slower side. However, worry not, faithful readers, All Fired Up is still going strong! And you know what would make it even stronger? Reviews! Heh heh heh. Ha ha ha ha ha! …I'm not kidding.**


	18. Bringing the Heat

_**Chapter 18: Bringing the Heat**_

"Are you decent yet, Solar? …Decent, of course, being a relative term."

"Almost… It's taking forever for my clothes to dry out!"

Off in a patch of trees in Route 14's swampland is the amber-eyed adolescent, currently in the process of re-clothing himself behind the back of a distant and exasperated Serena.

"Ugh, just put them on already. Calem's waiting for us and we're losing daylight."

"Oh c'mon! Don't ya know how weird wet underwear feels like?!"

"Would you rather I had Greninja leave all that swamp mud?"

"Uh… no. Not really…."

"Then let's get a move on."

"…Fine."

With Solar (thankfully) fully-clothed once more, the pair makes their way through the nearest brick-walled gate to Lumiose City. And almost immediately upon entry, they're greeted by the familiar faces of N and the other Kalosian hero.

"Rainbow Antlers! Butt Wings! Great to see you back! How'd your trip go?"

"Not well I'm afraid." The monochrome maiden lets out a sigh. "Let's just say there was a couple of… wardrobe mishaps and leave it there. …Well, that, and the fact that Laverre was a dead end. So yeah, we've come up with nothing, basically."

"Well, I did have this weird dream involving a guy with a scalpel…" And thank you for that disturbing non sequitur, Solar.

"…So much for covering more ground." The insomniac investigator soon lets out a sigh of his own. "Oh well, c'est la vie. Not every plan yields the desired results, after all." He then take a quick glance at the sun lowering ever so slightly into the horizon. "Anyone up for galettes?"

And with a unanimous nod, the motley quartet saunters off to the world-famous stand on North Boulevard, with Calem voicing the orders.

"4 Pecha Berry Galettes, s'il vous plait!"

"Well, well! If it isn't my two most famous customers! It's been a while, hasn't it!" The lady behind the counter responds back cheerily. "Well, you and your friends are in luck today! I just baked a fresh batch of them! Enjoy!"

And let the munching commence.

_SNARF! SNARF! NIBBLE! SNARF!_

"Man, this is good!" Which, in Solar's case, is veritably messy.

"Glad you like it, Butt Wings! The crunchy exterior, the soft sweet interior, it's the only pastry I'd ever consider liking better than cake!" And the tussled-haired teen takes a big bite out of the baked good being held with his trademark two-fingered grip. "This place is certainly famous for a reason, I'll tell you that."

"Mmm-hmm!" And cue crumbs flying out of mouth of the orange-capped kid. "But I am curious about one thing, though. How does she know who you are? I thought you and Rainbow Antlers went all incognito after the parade."

"Yes, yes, we did do that. But it's not like we need to keep our identities secret from everyone." Serena answers the inquiry after taking a dainty bite of her own. "Just exuberant autograph-seekers, paparazzi, and… other types of annoyances…. Not to mention, she's already quite familiar with our faces from eating here so many times. We couldn't keep it a secret, even if we wanted to. It's common sense, really." She dabs her mouth with a napkin. "Regardless, I believe there's a more pressing question at the moment. How are you doing, N? Are you feeling all right?"

"…Don't worry, I'm fine." The green-haired man takes a slow bite out of his pastry. "This whole situation with Hil… It's really a lot to take in. …But dwelling on it constantly won't get us anywhere. When we meet up again, I won't lay idly about, I assure you."

"That's good to hear."

And a moment of solemn silence lingers in the air. …But just like pretty much every other moment of silence in this story, it easily gets broken. This time, though, the perpetrator thereof is not the Pyroar-shirted protagonist we know so well. It's a sudden burst of light coming from Calem's belt.

"Oh, Calamity! Did want a taste, too? How insensitive of me."

But judging from the urgent howls the white-furred quadruped, the detective's Pokemon is not in the mood for a late afternoon snack: a fact that is quickly realized by its Trainer. Because soon accompanying the Absol's concerned cries is the high-pitched ringing of his Holo Caster.

_Pl-pl-pl-plink! Pl-pl-pl-plink!_

And with a quick press of a button, the blue-tinted image of a black-helmeted head projects above the device, obviously panic-stricken.

"Looker! It's me! I've got some majorly bad news!"

"Hmm? What is it? Where are you?"

"I'm over on Jaune Plaza right now! I heard reports of some intense heat coming from the area, so I thought I'd check it out!"

In the background of the call, a low-pitched rumbling noise can be heard, raising the concern of the detective on the other end.  
"What exactly is going on down there?!"

"It's hard to believe, but… the entire plaza is filling with lava! I'm evacuating the nearby residents as we speak, but you need to get over here FAST! Essentia out!"

And the call disconnects.

With a beckoning gesture and urgent voice, the disheveled detective rallies the rest of group into action. "Everyone! Put down the pastries and follow my lead! We've got a huge problem on our hands!"

"MMPH?!"

_One sprint and frantically-chewed galette later…_

_BLUB… BLUB… BL-BLUB…_

"Wh-whoa! This really _is_ intense!"

"Couldn't have said it better myself, Butt Wings."

Flowing forth from the collapsed yellow monolith in the plaza's center is an immensely heated pool of viscous lava. In the middle of it stands a brown quadrupedal creature, studded with pieces of metal and a deranged look in its eyes.

"What the heck is that thing, Looker?!"

"That creature over there is the Lava Dome Pokemon, Heatran. My predecessor encountered it in his travels over in Sinnoh. There've been sightings in Unova, but I never thought I'd see it here! …Has it been laying dormant under Lumiose all this time?!"

_GRROOREEEEIIH-GRERRRRREEEOOO!_

_BL-BLUB… BL-BLUB…_

With a menacing roar from monster's metal maw, the flow of lava soon gains a second wind, inching dangerously towards our protagonists, especially the one in the Pyroar shirt.

"Uh, I think we've got bigger things to worry 'bout right now! Like how're we supposed to stop this stuff from spreading?!"

"Our best bet is stopping it at the source. That, I'm a 100% sure of."

And despite the impending red deluge, a signature smirk manages to surface on Solar's face. "So, we just gotta take this thing out, huh? …No sweat."

"Technically, it's a lot of sweat, Butt Wings!"

"Go, Inferna-"

But the fiery trainer's command is immediately interrupted by a shoulder tap. "Hold on, Solar. I think we should try to resolve this more peaceably!"

"N?! What do you think you're doin'?!"

The green-haired mediator slowly but surely draws closer to the chaos-causing quadruped. "Heatran! Can you hear me?! I don't know what's going on with you, but you have to stop this lava flow! Many more lives will be put in danger if it doesn't let up!"

_GRROOREEEEIIH-GRERRRRREEEOOO!_

_FWOOOOOOM!_

_Heatran used Earth Power!_

And thanks to some quick reflexes, the cube-wearing conversationalist barely evades a hair-singeing spout of magma.

"Whoa! You OK there, man?!"

"…I-Its voice…"

"Huh? What're ya mumbling about?"

"I couldn't hear it's voice… It's gone completely berserk!"

"Yeah, I kinda figured that! Which means we've got no choice except to beat it back underground!" The orange-capped kid readies his Poke Ball once more, but is stopped for a second time by N's outstretched arm. "No. I'll be the one to handle this." And the man readies his own Poke Ball. "Let me hear your voice, Heatran!"

_N sent out Gyarados!_

_RAAAAAOOOOH!  
_"Gyarados, are you ready for this?"

The sea serpent nods.

"Then let's begin!"

The green-haired Unovan then proceeds to tap the faces of his chained accessory in a complicated combination.

_Gyarados's Gyaradosite is reacting to N's Mega Cube!_

_VweeeeeeeEEEEEE…_

_Gyarados Mega Evolved into Mega Gyarados!_

Cue loud echoing roar…

_BL-BLUB… BL-BLUB…_

…More incoming magma…

"AAAAAAAH! IT'S G-GETTING CLOSER!"

…And panicked scream from Solar.

"Quick! Extinguish the lava!"

_Gyarados used Surf!_

And with one laconic command, thelevitating leviathan summons forth a vast wave of water to combat the threat.

_SPLOOOSH!_

_FSSSSSH…_

A humongous cloud of steam soon fills the air, leaving solidified slabs of stone in its wake.

"Whew! That was WAY too close!" Solar readjusts orange cap. "Man, that one powerful sea serpent!"

"Well, that shouldn't come as a surprise." Living up to her name, the fedora-clad female speaks out serenely. "You have to hand it to Lysandre, he did a fine job of raising up his Pokemon, despite his misguided goals."

"Wait, WHAT?! Ya mean that Gyarados used to belong to ol' Flare face?! …Maybe saving the world was a bit harder than I thought it'd be…" The amber-eyed adolescent is suitably awestruck, somehow achieving a rare silent state.

_FWOOOOOM!_

…Which naturally gets shattered by a cloud-clearing jet of flame.

_Heatran used Flamethrower!_

"UWAAAH!"

But regardless of the near-singeing of one of his travel mates, N remains undaunted, continuing the charge on the manipulator of magma.

"Now, Gyarados! Aqua Tail!"

_RAAAAAAAOOOOHH!_

_WHAM!_

And a titanic water-cloaked tail bears down on Heatran's head like a guillotine.

_GRRRR…._

…Which it doesn't take well to.

_GRROOREEEEIIH-GRERRRRREEEOOO!_

_BWOOOOOM!_

With pieces of cobblestone flying in the air, a tall tornado of magma erupts directly underneath N's burly battler.

_Heatran used Magma Storm!_

_RRRAAAAAOOOOH…._

The cerulean serpent is flung further up in the air, trapped in the eye of a blazingly hot vortex. But though he shares the same pained look as his Pokemon, N unhesitantly calls out the next command.

"Whirlpool!"

Spouting water from its whiskered mouth, Gyarados starts to spin even faster, soon extinguishing its fiery onslaught.

"Now, Gyarados! Hydro Pump!"

_PLOOOOOSH!_

The forceful stream of liquid hits its mark and hits it hard, skidding the surly subterranean straight into a grass-covered ledge with a wince-inducing

_CRUNCH!_

One suspenseful second passes… Then another… and another…. The motionless silence persists until, slowly, Heatran rises to its feet. The tension rises along with it, but is soon diffused by a confused look in the beast's eyes.

"GRRREAH?"

It tentatively looks around, then slowly saunters back to the center of the ruined plaza, looking up at the green-haired man.

"GRERRREOH. GRE-GREOOH…" (Which, being translated, means "Oh my, I'm terribly sorry, dear chap. I really don't know what came over me…)

N kneels down and outstretches his hands, exercising his ability as a walking Pokemon Center. "Don't worry. I know it wasn't your fault. I'm just glad that no one was badly hurt." He gets up again shortly thereafter with a relieved smile on his face. "There we go. All healed up."

And with a grateful and gutteral growl, Heatran retreats back down to a dark and winding tunnel under where a yellow pillar once stood.

When the sound of its heavy stomping is nothing but a few distant echoes, Calem walks over and investigates the area where the magma manipulator got Hydro Pumped into.

"Hmmm… What do we have here?"

On the ground below lies a few broken pieces of miniscule machinery, which get promptly inspected by the insomniac investigator. He in turn bites his thumb, pondering the identity of the wreckage, before speaking again. "This device… Could it be?"

"Could it be what, exactly?"

"A machine used for controlling Pokemon, Rainbow Antlers. Since Heatran only stopped rampaging after crashing into this thing, it's quite likely it was the cause. …This sort of technology... It was developed by a scientist named Colress during his tenure as head of Team Plasma."

"Team Plasma?" Serena turns to N. "Do you know this person?"

"No, never heard of him. He must have come along after I left."

"In any case," Calem continues, "after the Team disbanded, research in this field was discontinued due to its unethical potential. But, to see it here…"

His fellow Kalosian hero chimes in again. "You think this Colress is behind it?"

"I don't think so. Last I heard, he reformed and gave refuge for the remaining Team Plasma members aboard their Frigate. …However, I do believe this is indeed his technology at work."

"So, any idea on who would have access to this research?"

"…No. At least not yet." He turns his gaze upward once more, seeing the sky above turning into a hue as orange as Solar's hair. "It's been another long day for all of us. How about we pick this up in the morning?"

"Sounds good to me."

And under the setting sun, the group starts to walk off into one of the city's narrow streets… But not before our Pyroar-shirted protagonist asks a question of his own. "So… Where are we gonna go, anyway?"

"That's… a very good question, Butt Wings." The tussled-haired teen blinks a couple times. "Well, our friend Trevor's house is near here. I'd hate to impose, but I guess we could stay there for the night."

"Actually, I've got a better idea."

From the top of one of the various antique-styled apartment complexes interjects a helmeted figure, completely clad in black, who then proceeds to jump down to the ground with Purrloin-like grace.

"WAAAAH! WHERE DID YOU COME FRO- …Hey, wait a sec! You're the one who called Looker a while back!"

"Very astute there, Butt Wings!" And immediately, Calem commences with the introductions. "Everyone, say hello to Essentia, the Guardian of Lumiose!"

"Aw, stop it. You're making me blush." She removes her headgear, revealing her dark twin-tailed hairstyle. "Please, just call Emma!"

"Ah, so you're the Emma I've heard so much about. It's nice to finally see you in person."

"Oh no, the pleasure's all mine! It's an honor to meet you, Serena!"

The detective subtly clears his throat. "Well, now that we're all acquainted, what was this idea you were talking about?"

"Oh, right! Of course! I figured you'd be exhausted after that whole "lava-in-the-plaza" thing, so I put in a good word with a hotel manager! He said they'd let you and your friends stay the night free of charge!"

"Aw, how thoughtful of you, Emma!" Calem turns back to the rest of group. "Well, guys, it appears we have a change in itinerary!"

After a ten-minute journey under the now-moonlit sky, they soon arrive on the doorstep of an elegant black-colored building on North Boulevard.

"This is the place, everybody!" Emma gestures the other four toward the entrance with a proud look on her face.

"H-Hotel Richissime?! Th-this is the fanciest hotel in the region! How in Kalos did you manage that?!" Needless to say, the aliasing agent is caught by surprise.

"It wasn't that hard, really. They were happy to spare a few rooms for a couple of world-saving heroes and their friends! Don't worry though, they promised they'd keep your identities under wraps from the public! Now go on!"

"W-well, your actions are most certainly appreciated, Emma."

"Not a problem, Looker!" The twin-tailed girl dons her headgear once more. "Well, I better be on way now! Still got to patrol the south side! Till next time!" And faster than you can say "Leaping Lopunnies!", she disappears into the nighttime cityscape.

"Well… In we go, I guess…"

_A short while later_…

Everyone has been settled into their top-floor rooms, the moon shines brightly through the crystal-clear windows, and Solar is once more happily snoring the night away. Thankfully though, this establishment does provide its guests with complimentary earplugs. Super effective ones, at that. However, despite the availability of noise-canceling conveniences, one person remains awake: none other than the insomniac investigator in full-Froakie form, brain Klangs grinding in gear.

"_Phew… It really has been a long day… Sorry for leaving you with Solar again, Serena, I know how much the guy drives you crazy. I don't really mind him, but I can certainly see why you'd find him a bit… much. …Well, at least you had a better day than N…_

_Earlier that day…_

"Hey, N."

"…"

"Earth to N."

"…"

"Uh, are you OK? You haven't spoken since we left Frost Cavern."

"…"

"…Are you… trying to do your best Red impression? …If so, you're doing a heck of a job at it."

"…Oh! Sorry, Calem. I was just lost in thought. Again." The green-haired man lets out a sigh. "So… It looks like Hil really is the one behind those fiery attacks… As much as I want to deny it… I'd just be lying to myself."

"I'd have to agree with you there. I doubt Mewtwo would have fed us false information just to spite us. …But nonetheless, you can't let this get down."

"…Why not?"

"I don't mean to sound callous, but getting depressed isn't to get you anywhere. Being contemplative is one thing, but there's not really anything we can do."

"…So what am I supposed to do now?"

"Simple. Just do what you can."

"But you just said-"

"I was talking about the situation. That part doesn't look like it's going to change any time soon. However, what you can change is how you'll react in it. …Let me put it this way. Hil and Reshiram may be the ones perpetrating the destruction, but it doesn't mean you can't reach out to them. Now, I know it's easier said than done, but it's still far from impossible." A small smile surfaces on Calem's face. "What I'm saying, N, is that, as bad as this is, it isn't the end of the world. And believe me, I know _exactly_ how that feels."

"Thank you, Calem, that helps. …But still, what if doing what I can isn't enough?"

"Don't worry. You'd be surprised how far it'll get you. After all, if 5 teenagers can stop a criminal organization bent on bringing about the apocalypse, I'm sure you can help out a friend in need."

_Back to the present…_

"_That still leaves the question though… What could Hil's motives be? And for that matter, the Shadow Triad… From what I've seen so far, there's been no real rhyme or reason behind their actions. Just find nearest landmark, wreak havoc, and flee the scene… It's almost as if just trying to draw attention… But for what? Could they be trying to lure us out for something? And could the Triad and Hil be in league with each other? …I can't be sure._ _…Then there's that journal… All that region hopping, wanting to change the world… I'll need to get a more detailed look later, but what if Hil really is the author? …That could change everything!"_

Then suddenly, the silence of the night is broken by a Poke Ball bursting open from a nearby table. …Is anyone else experiencing déjà vu right now?

"Calamity?! …Don't tell me…"

_GWWWWOOOOOOOOOOAH!_

A melodious and intimidating roar permeates through the window from the jaws of a towering white dragon. With purple Poke Ball in hand, the detective goes and greets his unexpected visitor through a now-opened window.

"Well, speak of the Darkrai. Hello there, Hero of Truth. I take it you're here for a fight?"

_GWWWWOOOOOOOOOOAH!_

And the light outside grows brighter as a massive fireball begins to form.

"…I'll take that as a yes. …Guess I've got no choice then. Go, Primether!"

"GREEEEEEEE-AAAAWWWK!"

**Author's Note: Feels great to get another chapter done after all this time! With the college semester drawing to a close, things ought to speed up a bit, so stay tuned! Till next chapter, Golurker out!**


	19. Where the Truth Lies

_**Chapter 19: Where the Truth Lies**_

_GWWWOOOOOOOAH!_

_GREEEE-AWWWWK!_

It's the middle of the night in Lumiose City, and high above the architecture, the embodiments of truth and oblivion are locked in a fierce and fast-paced conflict under a brilliant cloudless sky…

_FWOOO…_

…Due in no small part to the giant Fusion Flares the former keeps firing off.

"Primether! Focus Blast!"

At Calem's behest, Yveltal fires out a glowing sphere, exploding on contact with the forming fireball.

_KA-BLAM!_

The resulting smoke clears, but their vast white foe is nowhere in sight.

"Disappeared, huh?… Now where are you…" The Kalosian hero catches a small glimmer of light in the corner of his eye. "Hard right, Primether!" In one swift movement, the black bird barely avoids a stream of blazing blue flames.

_Reshiram used Blue Flare!_

"I've got to hand it to you, you don't mess around. …But neither do we!"

_Primether used Focus Blast!_

Another glowing sphere fires out of Primether's beak, but its target manages to evade as well. Draconic clouds then begin to well up around Reshiram's maw.

_Reshiram used Dragon Breath!_

"Pull up, Primether!"

With a sharp rise in altitude the detective and his fighter dodge the sweeping array of energy.

"Now, Primether, Oblivion Wing!"

A crimson-hued beam fires from Yveltal's chest, hitting its mark head on. The dragon winces, visibly weakened.

_Reshiram had its energy drained!_

"Now look, I don't know what your definition of hero is, but mine doesn't involve attacking cities. Just what do you think you're trying to accomplish, huh, Hil? Care to share?"

Azure embers ignite in response.

_Reshiram used Blue Flare!_

" Uh, "incinerating the inquiring detective" wasn't quite the answer I was looking for..."

Shadowy waves then flow forth from crimson claw-wing, pushing its foe toward the cobblestone below.

_Primether used Dark Pulse!_

But about 2 feet before crashing, Reshiram recovers and rockets away above the streets.

_VWOOOOOSH!_

"You won't get away that easily!"

The Kalosian hero immediately gives chase down Hibernal Avenue, pulling out and dialing his Holo Caster. "Emma, what's your location?"

A black-helmeted hologram responds. "Still on South Boulevard finishing up my patrol. Why?"

"I thought so. Listen, I sighted Hil and Reshiram and they're headed your way!"

"Seriously?! There's just no end to these incidents, is there… So what's the plan?"

"Head toward Centrico Plaza; we'll intercept the target there! I think you know what to do!"

"OK, got it! Essentia out!"

And the line disconnects. Making haste, the Kalosian hero grabs tight on the Yvel-tuft and speeds ahead, soon catching up alongside his foe. "OK, let's try this again. Why are you going around the region trying to burn everything? Most Fire-type users I know are cheerful hyperactive bundles of energy, not laconic destroyers of worlds."

"…"

The dragon's tail generator glows even brighter, making a beeline to Centrico Plaza and the iconic landmark contained within. Once there, another ball of flame begins to blaze overhead.

_Reshiram used Fusion Flare!_

"Oh no, you don't!"

Team Calem charges ahead and claps the dragon between 2 claw-shaped wings.

_Primether used Sucker Punch!_

"Trying to destroy Prism Tower, are we?"

Yveltal then proceeds to grab hold and shoot upward at breakneck speeds.

_Primether took Reshiram into the sky!_

"I'll have you know that I put a lot of effort into saving this region! I'm not about to let you lay waste to it!" The bird then pulls a sharp descent.

_Primether used Sky Drop!_

"So, tell me, Hil, what's with the whole rampage thing?"

"…You wouldn't understand."

With its master (finally) vocalizing, the white winged beast does the same.

_GWOOOOOOOOOAH!_

_Reshiram used Hyper Voice!_

"Gaah!" The piercing roar echoes through the air, causing Primether's grip to loosen and Calem to cover his ears. "W-Well, fancy that, you actually have a voice after all." The Kalosian hero then stands up straight. "In that case, let me tell you something. I've seen a 3000 year old king, a flower-shaped superweapon, and even a pair of underwear based off of the legendary Pokemon of victory. Try me. It couldn't possibly be that bizarre."

"…Hmph."

With hardly any warning, the vast white Pokemon rockets forward and brandishes its claws, straight at the disheveled detective.

_Reshiram used Slash!_

"Emma! Now!"

"That's our cue, Crobat!"

Right before it contact, the dragon of truth is enveloped by aura of yellow light, immobilized.

_Crobat used Mean Look_!

Off on the rooftop on one of the city's tall buildings, the sable-suited Essentia speaks out, accompanied by a purple quad-wing bat. "That ought to make things a bit easier, Looker!"

"Great work as always, Emma!" Calem gives a thumbs-up, then turns to the paralyzed pair. "But, back to the matter at hand, what exactly are you up to, Hil? I'd very much appreciate a real answer this time."

The Unovan enigma, breaking silence again, snaps back. "Lies… secrets… deceptions… they're everywhere. People who use them are enemies to the truth. People like you."

"So, you're calling me a liar? I don't see what that has to do with anything, but I'll bite. I'm an agent. An agent of the International Police. Do I always tell the truth? No. I'll readily admit that. Deception kind of comes with the territory. Part of the job description, really. However, that doesn't mean I'm some sort of immoral monster, you know. Ever hear of 'using your powers for good' before? Sounds like it would do a _world_ of good for you."

Reshiram's master sneers. "A 'world of good'? A 'world of good'?! You really don't understand! …A world of good… A world of truth… That is the kind of world I want to _create!_"

"Oh, so you're trying to make a world without lies? That still doesn't explain your actions. First Pokemon Village, then Frost Cavern, and now you're wreaking havoc here in Lumiose. What possible reason could you have for doing that?"

Under the eye-obscuring cap, Hil shoots back a scowl. "…Change cannot happen… unless something sets it in motion."

"So, what, you're saying this destruction is some sort of catalyst?! Sounds more like a recipe for a chaotic world, not a truthful one!"

A brief silence passes before the rider speaks again. "…I'm done talking."

Cerulean flames start to ignite.

"Looker, watch out!"

_Reshiram used Blue Flare!_

_FWOOOM!_

Heeding Emma's warning, Calem and his bacon-winged mount evade as quickly as they can to the left. But the searing stream still manages to strike Primether straight on the claw-wing.

_GREEEEE-AWWWWWK…_

The atmosphere then heats up, dispersing the energy field around the white-winged beast, who proceeds to rocket upwards.

_Reshiram is radiating a blazing aura!_

"Hey, you all right there, Primether?" The oblivion bird gives a resolute nod_._ "Great. Then let's do this!" The detective and his Yveltal quickly pursue their foe to apex of Prism Tower, where yet another menacing Fusion Flare forms, twice as large as before. With a toothy smile, the "Hero" of Truth utters two short words and makes a commanding gesture. "…So long."

_Reshiram used Fusion Flare!_

"So that's how you're going to play it? Fine! …Primether!"

The bird's chest starts shining with a crimson light.

_GREEEEEE-AWWWWWK!_

_Primether used Oblivion Wing!_

As if in slow motion, the beam shoots forth, piercing through the night sky, aimed straight at Reshiram.

_VWWWWWWWWWSSSSSSSSHHHHHT!_

…_Fwwwwf…._

But upon contact, the image of the dragon and rider fades, dispersing the giant fireball into thousands of harmless embers.

"…Wait, what in the world just… Oh, of course." Calem lets out a sigh. "A mirage. The heat from that huge Fusion Flare must've caused a mirage… Crafty escape method, I'll give you that." Off in the horizon, the sun begins to rise, signaling the end of the battle and the dawn of a new day. "Hmm. Morning already, huh? …Heh. Guess time flies when you're fighting pyromaniacs."

_Back at Hotel Richissime_…

In the middle of a top floor hallway, Calem, Serena, and N are gathered, the latter two having just woke up. Another meeting has been called for, but, as was the case in Couriway Town, is currently devoid of a certain orange-haired Trainer.

"Well… Looks like Solar's late again. You think he actually slept in this time?"

"I suppose it's possible. But then again, he could just be doing his whole morning jog thing, Sere—er, I mean, Rainbow Antlers."

"…Wow. You really didn't sleep much at all, did you, Calem."

"Was it that obvious?"

"Yep." Serena flashes a small smile. "It's not like you to slip up the codenames."

"Heh heh. You got that right." The detective stifles a yawn. "…But in any case, I think we've waited here long enough. I'm going in."

As he walks to Solar's door down the hall, N interjects with a question. "Going in? Just how are you going to do that?"

Calem pulls out a small piece of plastic from his pocket. "Universal key card. A must-have tool for any agent worth his salt. Just ask my predecessor."

A small _Beep! _rings out and the door unlocks.

"Hmmm… Messy bed, no hat on the nightstand, looks like he really did go out for a run."

"Um, I don't think so, Calem."

"What makes you think that, Rainbow Antlers?"

Beside the monochrome maiden lies a table, upon which 6 pristine Poke Balls are perched.

"He wouldn't have gone out running without his Pokemon. In fact, I doubt he'd go anywhere without them. Something's up."

With a concerned and confused look, N speaks out again. "So, where do you think is he now?"

The detective takes deep breath before answering. "…Kidnapped. Solar's been kidnapped."

_Off in an unknown location..._

_Thud!_

"Ow…"

In a gray-walled room, our Pyroar-shirted protagonist tumbles out of bed and unto a cold stone floor.

"That floor is a lot harder than I remember it…" Jumping up, Solar gets back on his feet and surveys the room. "OK, this definitely isn't Hotel Richissime. Just where the heck am I?"

He walks forward past a wooden desk and three bookcases and arrives at a green metallic door with a doorknob. Just beyond it, a faint muttering noise can be heard: a noise that appears be a conversation between two people. Curious, the amber-eyed adolescent presses his ear and listens in.

"_So, everything's going according to plan?"_

"_Veritably so. We are on the cusp of accomplishing our goal, Leader. The whole of our efforts will soon culminate in glorious fulfillment. All we need now is the location for the final step, which we will ascertain once that one wakes up. The end is at hand, I assure you."_

"_Perfect. Lord Ghetsis would be pleased."_

Solar then backs away from the door, attempting to piece together what sort of situation he got dragged into this time. But, first and foremost, he sighs and utters a single sentence to himself.

"I'm so glad right now that I sleep with my clothes on."

**Author's Note: Welcome back, faithful readers! Happy (belated) New Year to everyone! Sorry if this chapter took long again, but between a week without access to my laptop and writing the 1****st**** chapter of Legend of the Black Fang (which if you haven't checked out yet, you should!) I couldn't get this out as soon as I'd hoped. Oh well, hope it was worth the wait! Things are definitely going to heat up in the coming chapters! So stay tuned and keep reviewing, faithful readers! Golurker out!**


	20. Solar Eclipsed

**Author's Note: Hoo boy. Has it been over 2 months since the last update already? I think that's the longest gap since I started writing this story. Sorry 'bout that, faithful readers. 'Cause of college classes, another ongoing story, awesome video games, and just plain (research-paper-induced) writer's block, this chapter's been sitting half-finished for way too long. Let's rectify that, shall we?**

_**Chapter 20: Solar Eclipsed**_

"Come on out, everyone!"

It's the dawn of a new day on the doorstep of Lumiose's Hotel Richissime. And under the orange-hued sky of the early morning, a bright light flashes, unleashing the entirety of Solar's team at N's behest. "Listen up, I have something important to tell you all."

The 6 faithful Fire-types survey their surroundings, looking somewhat bemused. Once getting their bearings, Roarstrike the Arcanine barks out first. "Rrrr-arc?" ...Oh right. Probably should translate that for you. "(N? What're you doing here? Where's Solar?)"

"…Here's the thing. Last night, Solar's been kidnapped."

A cacophony of growls, howls, and the occasional monkey noise rings through the air, though one "voice" speaks louder than the rest.

"(Say what?!)" Duke bears his fangs. "(You sayin' somebody took the Boss?! Dat's impossible!)" The Houndoom continues even louder. "(How could this've happened?! Just what've all you people been doin', huh?! How'd you just let them get away?!)"

Cloudburst waves her nine tails and lets out a dulcet purr (or whatever a fox says) to quell the rage of her fellow fighter. "(Calm down, Duke, just calm down.)"

"(Calm down? Calm down?! How could ya say that, Cloudy?! The guy raised us since we were Eggs, and you just want us to stay calm?!)"

"(Trust me, I am just as concerned as you are, Duke, but panicking will not get us anywhere. Besides, they're here to help us.)"

Serena, after N's interpreting, picks up right where the green-haired man left off. "That's right. Your trainer disappeared last night, so we'll need your assistance to find him and get him back."

An eerie echoing cry then chimes in. "(I would say. To evade detection and disappear without a trace… Whoever the perpetrator is, they are certainly quite the troublesome enemy…)"

"(I guess you have a point there, Azurelight. …But I wouldn't worry about him too much.)" The Infernape smirks with confidence. "(Anyone who can hold their own against me can hold their own, period. He oughta manage till the cavalry arrives.)"

"(I would not be too sure about that. Lives are such fragile things.)"

"(Come on now, I know you're a ghost, but quit being so morbid, will you?)"

"(Just "calling them like I see them" as the saying goes.)"

"(Dude, this is Solar we're talking about!)"

"(Guys, enough!)" Hyperion interjects with a loud bellow. "(The point here is that our trainer needs now more than ever! We need to focus on getting him back!)"

Calem, once in the loop, courtesy of the Unovan translator, responds back. "Couldn't have said it better myself. Luckily, I think I've got just the plan for doing just that."

Solar's team then sounds out in unison. "(Lay it on us!)"

_Meanwhile…_

_ACHOO!_

"…Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

Thanks to the less-than-accommodating temperatures of his surroundings, Solar's sneezing has come to bite him in the butt like a ticked-off Venipede, as the two voices outside the stone-walled enclosure take notice and walk into the room.

"It appears the slumbering youth has awakened."

The loquacious Gauche.

"Now then, tell us what you know."

And the determined Milieu.

"You guys again! What're you doing here?! Where the heck are we?! …And aren't you guys called the Shadow _Triad_? What happened to the third guy?"

"That," Gauche replies, "is of no concern to you, child."

"After all," Milieu continues, "it is we who will be asking the questions here."

"Oh yeah?! What kind of questions?!"

The leader steps closer. "Questions like, oh I don't know, "Where is the location of Kalos's ultimate weapon?""

"What?! Why're you asking me about that, huh?!"

"Because, as one of the 'Heroes' of this region, you would have just the information we need to accomplish our goal."

"Seriously?! First that butler dude, and now this! For the last time, I'm not one of the Heroes of—"

"Oh, don't deny it," The left-hand member interjects. "That girl from the garden. The one who wielded the power of the Life Pokemon to save you. We've spotted you time and again travelling side-by-side with her. It's painfully obvious that you two are certainly well-acquainted."

"I think 'well-acquainted' might be overstating it a bi—"

"Not to mention," the leader continues, "We've done our share of research on you 'Heroes'. Among them was a boy of short stature and orange hair! Who else would it be?!"

(Somewhere in Kalos, a boy by the name of Trevor gets the strangest feeling some ninjas are talking about him. …But I'm digressing here.)

"Wait, for real?! I didn't know one of 'em had orange hair! …Guess that's what happens when you get stuck behind all the tall people at the parade.,. But that doesn't matter! I really don't know anything about it!"

"…Is that so?" In one swift motion, Milieu grabs our protagonist by the collar, lifting him an inch off the ground. "Well, whether you like or not, you will tell us. We have ways of making you talk, boy…"

And Milieu raises his gripping hand higher in the air. However, before the Triad's enraged leader can make a move, Solar reacts nigh-instantaneously.

_Solar used Mega Kick!_

…Causing the infuriated instigator to crumple to the ground.

_A critical hit!_

Making full use of his signature red sneakers, the amber-eyed adolescent wastes no time in making a dash for freedom out of the room, and across the cylindrical building encapsulating it.

"G-get him!"

At Milieu's cringing command, the loquacious lefty gives chase.

_Fwip!_

And of course, by 'give chase', I mean 'appear out of nowhere in front of the archway leading outside.'

"Well, someone appears to be in a rush."

A luminous flash then bursts out.

_Gauche sent out Absol!_

An Absol with a less-than-friendly scowl of malice. Calamity, this ain't.

"False Swipe!"

"So that's how you wanna play it, huh? Fine! Go, Infern—" Solar instinctively reaches for a Poke Ball around his belt, but grasps nothing but air. "…Uh-oh. Th-this… doesn't look good…"

_SLSH!_

_Meanwhile…_

"N! Status report on the ground team."

From the back of Solar's Arcanine, N relays the info via Xtransceiver. "We're almost out of the desert area! Roarstrike, Duke, and Cloudburst have all picked up on Solar's scent trail and we're en route as we speak. How's the air team's progress, Calem?"

"Not well I'm afraid. We're hovering over the Coumarine City as we speak, but Primether and I haven't seen any sign of him."

"And neither has Altaria," Serena continues, aboard the aforementioned songbird. "Hyperion and Infernape have gone on ahead to check the western side, but they haven't come back yet." She turns to face her fellow Kalosian hero. "That still leaves the question though, who do you think took Solar?"

"Two words: The Shadow Triad."

"…Technically, that's three."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, but the 'the' doesn't really count. …Anyway, Serena, they're the only ones I can think of who could've slipped in and out of the hotel unnoticed. I asked the owner, and the security cameras caught nothing."

"I see."

"And that's not all. I was planning to tell you this in the meeting earlier, but I ran into Hil and Reshiram terrorizing the city last night. I managed to stop them from doing any damage, but they got away. And then, the following morning, Solar just _happens_ to go missing? Calling it a coincidence seems like a bit of a stretch to me."

"So, you think they're in league with each other. Makes sense. But what do you think they're all trying to accomplish, Calem?"

"Both parties brazenly hopping around from landmark to landmark across the region… It looks like they're trying to lure us out. …Or perhaps they're searching for something? Maybe it's both. I still don't know what common goal they would share, but they certainly are being very open about it."

"…Hmm. So, basically what you're saying is that we might be playing right into their hands."

"…Could be. Maybe going after them is exactly what they want us to do. Maybe it is part of their grand plan… However," The detective's eyes shine with fierce determination. "Take a look at the guy's team. I'm not N, but even I can tell that all six of them would literally fight tooth and nail to get their trainer back. They definitely aren't going to back down anytime soon and neither should we. Yes, maybe we are just playing right into the Triad's gray mitts, but I not about to just up and abandon Solar. Plus, we're the Heroes of Kalos. Saving people is our thing, after all."

"Can't argue with that."

And as the sun continues to rise, a silent moment of heroic resolve shines through a calm oceanic breeze. …But like all silences in this story, it too is short-lived, this time by the green-haired Unovan.

"…Hold on. You said six, right, Calem?"

"Yeah, six. Solar's got a full team. Why do you bring that up?"

"Well, Hyperion and Infernape are accounted for, but I only have 3 members of his team with me. …What happened to the last one?"

"That's… a very good question, N."

_Meanwhile…_

"UWAAAH!"

Running up a spiraling stone slope, our orange-haired hero does his best to dodge yet another swipe from the talons of Gauche's Absol.

_Solar evaded the attack!_

He's doing surprisingly well so far, but at this rate, it's only a matter of time before an attack connects.

"What a foolish child… All you are doing is just delaying the inevitable! Why don't you just make it easier on yourself and surrender the information?! This resistance of yours is obviously futile!"

"It's because I don't have the info you're looking for! Just like the other eleven times you asked me! And besides, even if I knew what you wanted to know, I wouldn't tell you! The only obvious thing here is that you're up to no good!"

"Still feeling uncooperative, I see. Then I shall rectify that brazen attitude of yours!"

_Absol used Razor Wind!_

The atmosphere within the tall stone enclosure of a battlefield begins to stir, soon forming a barrage of nigh-invisible blades of air.

_Fwwssh-ssh-ssh…_

Nigh-invisible blades of air sent flying towards Solar.

"Aaah!"

He flinches and braces himself for the incoming impact as best he can… but soon opens his eyes when nothing happens.

_It doesn't affect Azurelight…_

"Whoa! A-Azurelight! Man, am I glad to see you!"

_CRRRREEEEEEIIIOOOH…_

Floating in through the walls of the tower is none other than Solar's Chandelure, and not a moment too soon.

"Heh heh! Now you're in for it, Shadow man! Azurelight! Fire Blast!"

_KABLAM!_

The mass of flames explodes outward in five directions upon impact with its mark, blowing back both pursuers.

"I am afraid that will not be enough!" …But instead of a crash landing, Gauche and his Absol manage to land upright and launch a counterattack. "Night Slash!"

_SOOOL!_

The darkness-clad claws slash ahead, but are handily sidestep by the boy and his sentient chandelier.

"Now! Shadow Ball!" An unstable ball impacts and sends the crescent-horned quadruped flying toward the cylindrical wall.

"Alright then, Azurelight! Let's get outta here!" Solar jumps up and grabs the iron-like arms of his fighter, floating up past the spiral walkway toward the light at the top of the tower. "Heh heh! Later!" The fiery pair flies higher and higher, and soon enough reaches the freedom of the skies with an elated smirk. "Made it! Now we just gotta make it back down to the ground!"

"…Have it your way."

All of a sudden, the amber-eyed adolescent feels a strong tug on his leg, sending him crashing down facefirst onto a balcony overlooking the clouds, chandelier and all.

"OWWWW! What the heck was th—" He then looks up. "You again!"

_Meanwhile…_

"Everyone! I think we've got something!" Atop Roarstrike's fluffy mane, N alerts the group via his Xtransciever.

"You got a lead?!" Calem responds. "Where?"

"Not me, but Infernape! She and Hyperion think they've spotted him and three others at some place called the Tower of Mastery!"

Serena gets a slightly confused look on her face. "Hold on, Infernape? How'd she relay that to you?"

Her fellow Kalosian hero provides the answer. "I gave her Solar's Holo Caster before we left. Not important. But anyway, everybody! Set a course for Shalour City on the double! Our target awaits!"

"Got it." N replies, "In that case, Cloudburst! Duke! Get back!"

"(Right!)"

_N withdrew Cloudburst and Duke!_

"Now, Roarstrike! Extremespeed!"

"(You got it. Try not to fall now, N!)"

_Zoooooooooom!_

And the unified hero front charges ahead to Solar's rescue.

_Back at the Tower…_

"So, Triad's all here, huh? C'mon! I'll take you all on at once! Just as soon as I get outta this- MMPH!"

"A tempting proposition, but I am afraid we must decline. Besides, it appears you are all… tied up at the moment." And Gauche proceeds to make perhaps the most clichéd villain pun in the book before turning to the newly-arrived Droite. "Regardless, many thanks for your Accelgor's Wrap attack. That child's high-pitched voice was getting on my nerves."

"MM-MMPH MMPH MM-MMPH! (My voice is not that high-pitched!)"

_CRRREEEEEIOH… _

And Azurelight apparently concurs with an indignant glare.

Glancing over at Solar's Chandelure, Gauche then speaks out with mocking compassion. "Oh, what's the matter? Can't counterattack without hurting your trainer? My bad. Hah hah hah…"

_CRRRRRRRRRREIOH!_

…Yeah, I'm not translating that.

"Anyway," the lefty continues, "have you any new information from your latest excursion? Because our efforts so far have yielded nothing."

"I do." Under Droite's face mask, a deranged smile appears to form. "The ultimate weapon we seek. I know the location."

"MMPH?! (You do?!)"

"Perfect." Approaching from inside the tower, the leader limps forward with a pained scowl. "Now we can finally carry out our goal. …But first," Milieu then continues limping, stopping just a few feet short of Solar. "You've been a Ferrothorn in our sides since we first met. Time and time again, you and your little band of heroes have interfered with our plans, set us back at every turn!" A Bisharp bursts forth in a flash of light. "Let's put an end to that, shall we?!"

With blade-hand extended, the leader's crimson chess piece runs straight at Solar until…

_Shheeeen…_

"Gaah! What in blazes is—"

The sunlight grows brighter, reflecting off the Bisharp's steel body, blinding everyone. An echoing roar then booms through the atmosphere…

_CHAAAAAAAAAARRR…_

_Hyperion's Drought intensified the sun's rays!_

And a falling simian comet leaps into action.

_Infernape used Mach Punch!_

The strike knocks the restraining snail off its prey, allowing the Pyroar-shirted protagonist to roll out of the way of Bisharp's blade.

"Hey, you guys made it too! Awesome!"

"And they're not the only ones, Solar." Swooping in not too far behind are the two Kalosian heroes aboard their respective flyers. Landing her Altaria, Serena dismounts to address the Triad. "N and rest of Solar's team at coming up the tower as we speak. It's over."

"As if."

With those laconic words, the ninja trio regroups and attempts to recall their Pokemon, when—

"Not so fast! Infernape! Close Combat!"

Down goes the Absol.

"Azurelight! Fire Blast!"

As does the Accelgor.

"Now finish it up with a Heat Wave, Hyperion!"

_FWOOOOOOOOM!_

And the rush of blazing hot air does the trick, taking out the remaining Bisharp handily. The Triad's faces then burn with an all-too-familiar hatred as they form their Grenin-jutsu hand signs. "You haven't won yet." And as Droite's parting words ring out, they disappear once again. But not before their forms flicker for a split-second into something… inhuman.

…

A few moments later, N arrives at the tower's apex alongside Cloudburst, Duke, and Roarstrike. "…They got away again, didn't they, Serena."

"That they did, unfortunately. We saved Solar, but we're not any closer in figuring out just exactly what the Triad is after."

"Oh, c'mon, Rainbow Antlers! You make it sound like rescuing me was a sidequest or something!"

The girl narrows her eyes. "…I've helped save your life again and this is the thanks I get?"

"No, because I've actually got something here."

"And just what is it exactly?"

"The Triad's motives. I know what their up to, without a doubt. …They're after the ultimate weapon."

"Hmm, I see." Stepping off the bird of oblivion, Calem joins in. "That's certainly troubling… But still… Don't they know we already destroyed it over a week ago?"

"Well, they did say they did some research on you guys, but I can't say for sure."

"So it could be either way… Hmm… I'm not taking any chances. Not when lives are at stake. ...It's settled. Next stop, Geosenge Town."

And the ever-present smirk return to Solar's face. "Got it. We're so gonna rock their world."

"Like a Hurricane."

_Meanwhile…_

In the verdant courtyard of Parfum Palace, a purplish feline figure levitates, staring contemplatively at one of the garden's dragon statues. In the nigh-empty picturesque fields, Mewtwo mutters softly to himself.

"So, Reshiram, the dragon of truth. An immensely powerful being that I couldn't put an end to its rampage. …However. As formidable as it is, it can stopped. Stopped by _this_."

And with that cryptic monologue, the crimson-eyed cat Mega Evolves in a blast of light and shoots like a rocket into the skies off to who knows where.

With not a person in sight, the resulting gust of wind ripples throughout the surrounding greenery. …But the spectacle does not go unnoticed.

"Did that show-off really just do that? …Fool."


	21. A Time for Reflection

**Author's Note: …OK, seriously? Another update 2 months in the making? C'mon, Golurker, you're better than this… OK, enough writing to myself. Finals are coming this week, so I wasn't able to get this done nearly as quickly as I wanted to. At least I managed to get this done. For you Legend of the Black Fang fans out there, worry not! I haven't neglected that story! It's in the process of writing, so just be patient. Regardless, I should have more free time soon so the following ones should come much quicker! And believe me, you won't want to miss them! As always, don't forget to drop a review and enjoy this chapter of All Fired Up!**

_**Chapter 21: A Time for Reflection**_

With their last encounter with the Shadow Triad under their belts, we once again join our heroes as they take a much-needed breather on the steps of Shalour City's biggest landmark, the Tower of Mastery. As for your humble narrator, they decided to try out their best impression of the one from the anime. What do you think? Spot on? Yes? I thought so.

"Seriously, Butt Wings?! That happened?!"

"Yeah, Looker! The guy's Absol would not stop coming at me! It's like when I chased Serena all over Lumiose! It was insane!"

"…Whoa, that persistent, huh? I guess that was to be expected, but still… Wow. It's a wonder you doing as well as you are."

"Hmm? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, it's just that I half-expecting you to be unconscious right about now, that's all."

"Really?!" Solar lets out a small chuckle while wringing the snail slime out of his hat. "Oh c'mon, I don't get knocked out _that_ often! That only happened, what, twice?"

Serena sighs an interjection. "Three times actually. You wouldn't believe how long it took to clean Greninja's tongue last night."

"Yeah, yeah, details. But that doesn't matter! My point is, I can take a whole lot more than just a little—"

"_BiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiIIIIIINK!"_

_BONK!_

…Smack to the cranium courtesy of a Carbink? Yeah, I don't think so.

_Solar endured the hit!_

…Huh. Well whaddaya know_._

"S-see? I-I told ya so… Owwww…."

While Solar rubs his head to try and soothe the pain, the diminutive rock fairy expresses its panic in several high-pitched squeaks.

"_Bi-bi-bi-bink! Bink bink! Bi-bi-bink!"_

"So… W-what's it sayin' there, N?"

"Well… she's saying your hair made for a nice soft landing,"

"S-speak for yourself…."

"—And that she needs our help. It seems there was a rockslide in a nearby cave and the rubble trapped a few of her friends."

And with those words, our Pyroar-shirted protagonist appears to make a full recovery, jumping onto his feet. "Then what are waiting for?! Let's go!"

"Now, hold on for a moment there, Solar." The fedora-clad female stands up in turn. "Look, I'm all for helping out this poor… adorable Carbink, but don't we have more pressing matters to attend to at the moment?"

Not one to be left out, Calem quickly gets in on the standing up action. "That is true, Rainbow Antlers, that is true. But with the ultimate weapon being buried in a big pile of rubble, they'll need all the power they can to bust through. Having their team out of commission ought to set them back a bit. Especially taking into account their status as international fugitives. It's not like they can just stroll into a PokeCenter and say "Hey! Could you please heal our Pokemon so we can destroy the world? Pretty please?" Once they feel confident enough to show themselves again, that's when we'll strike. …But until then," He turns to the sentient diamond in distress. "Yeah, we can help you out."

"_Bi-bink!"_

And with elated gratitude, the fairy forges ahead.

…

A few minutes later, our motley quartet steps foot inside the brilliant lustrous walls of Reflection Cave.

"OWWW!"

And straight away, Solar's propensity for injury rears its head once again. …On his head. I can't even count the number of times this guy's smacked into wall. Seriously, it's a wonder he hasn't suffered any brain damage by now. …Well, any more at least.

"You really need to watch for those reflective walls, Butt Wings. It's like the Trick House in here."

"G-got it…"

"In any case," Calem continues, "You and N go on ahead and keep a sharp eye on that Carbink. If Terminus Cave was anything to go by, I won't be able to reach via Holo Caster if you get lost."

"OK I guess. But what about you and Rainbow Antlers, Looker?"

"We'll bring up the rear and keep an eye out for more potential rock slides. But don't worry, we'll stay within shouting distance of you two."

"Alright! Then let's do this!"

"Bi-bi-bink!"

On that note, the jewel-encrusted guide leads the vanguard pair deeper into the cavern's depths. And with it zooming past the reflective rock walls, Solar and N are in full sprint just to keep up. Not bad for a Pokémon with a base speed of 50.

"So, N, how long to till we get to where that rock slide happened?"

The Carbink squeaks out, which the Unovan translates.

"According to her, there's still a ways to go. Apparently it happened at the lowest level."

"That far down, huh? Guess we just gotta keep on keepin' on then! …Heh heh." Our protagonist flashes another signature smirk. "Race ya to the bottom!"

"Um, no thanks. I'm not really in the mo—Hey, Solar!"

And our protagonist races ahead, only a few feet behind the Carbink weaving through the increasingly narrow corridors. …Gotta hand it to him, without a broken leg, the guy can run. Like a bolt of orange lightning, he leaves his green-haired partner in his red-sneakered dust. But of course, with great speed comes…

_BONK!_

…An even greater chance of crashing. This time, however, it's not into another wall, but instead an unfortunate spelunker in a suit. …Who, strangely enough, stalwartly remains standing as if nothing happened.

"My, my, aren't we feeling a little reckless today."

Lifting his head, our teenage trailblazer meets eyes with the formally-spoken figure. "Hunh?! What are you doin' here?!"

_Meanwhile…_

Trailing far behind, the two Kalosian heroes take their time traversing the cavern path. Given the acoustics and ongoing commotion, "shouting distance" is a generous measure to say the least. …Perhaps suspiciously so. With a knowing look, the blond-haired Bijoux is the first to break the relative silence.

"OK, Calem, be up front with me. What's the real reason you wanted to stay in the back?"

The detective blinks a couple times, stunned. "…Am I really that easy to see through?"

"I've known you ever since you moved to Kalos. I can tell."

With a subtle smile, the sleuth lets out a sigh. "You know, you could at least act like you weren't a 100% sure… Oh well, no matter. My reason for bringing up the rear is that I wanted to have a little discussion about this case with you."

"Given how hectic the past few days have been, I can certainly why."

"I would've brought this up earlier, but, hmm… how do I put this… Nothing against Butt Wings, but at times he can be a bit…"

"…Moronic?"

"I was going more for 'energetic'. …But yeah, there's quite a bit to cover. We know their plan, but a couple questions are still bothering me. The Shadow Triad and Hil… What would motivate them to work together? The former vows to avenge their old deceiver of a master, while the other aims to create a world of truth. It just doesn't make sense. The Heatran incident yesterday and the Colress tech. What was up with that? Were either of them responsible for that too? And where does the ultimate weapon fit into all this? I'm drawing a blank here."

"Well, I did talk with N before. All the things we've seen go against everything he said about Hil's character. Kind, sociable, no signs of pyromania… He may be idealistic, but he wouldn't stretch things that far. …I think there's something we're missing here, but the question is, what?"

Calem pauses again to gather his thoughts before responding. "I agree with you there; there is still something we don't know here. …Or rather someone."

"And who would that be?"

The detective takes a deep breath. "This KABOOM! person. Just who is he?"

And the former silence resurfaces once more.

_ Back to the main character…_

"Sebastiodon?! Hey, uh, long time no see! I never thought you'd be a big cave fan!"

The man's face twitches ever so slightly as he responds to Solar's horrible name recollection. "I would like to kindly remind you my name is S Bastion, not "Sebastiodon". Also, I am no 'big cave fan'. You see, I am merely one heck of butler."

"Oh, right, that catchphrase thing. Kinda wish I had one… But anyway, what're you doing here?!"

"I am here on an important errand for my master, the esteemed C. L. Phantomforce."

"Hmm? Ya mean the eyepatch kid in the top hat?"

"To put it crudely, yes. He requested that I bring him a rare and valuable Pokemon. Its lustrous pink shine is said to one of the most beautiful sights man has ever laid eyes on. In addition to this dazzling beauty, it has also been said its very presence can ward off accidents and illnesses. As you may remember, the young master has been prone to catching nasty colds at literally the drop of a hat. And as for the accidents… Let us just say I became his butler for a reason. …Regardless, rumor has it that this "Royal Pink Princess", as it is sometimes called, resides here in this very cave. …However, I must regretfully admit my search has so far proven fruitless."

"Oh, I see. I don't think I've seen anything like that around here though. What about you, N? Spot anything?"

"No, I haven't." He then turns to the dapper spelunker. "But if you're really worried about his health, wouldn't it just be easier to find a doctor?"

"Well, the young master is quite set in his ways. As his butler, I shall follow his request to the letter."

The amber-eyed adolescent (as usual) can't help but express his surprise. "Wow, that's dedication!"

"Naturally. After all, a Phantomforce butler who can't do this much isn't worth his salt!" After striking a flashy pose, S Bastion regains his composure and begins to walk off. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have a Pokemon to search fo—"

"Hold on! Wait a sec!" And like a Mach Punch to the face, Solar arrives at an epiphany. "I know you're busy and all, but we got a few trapped Carbink we're tryin' to free. I dunno how big a rock slide it was, but I get the feeling we'll need all the help we can! It happened further down anyway, so you can continue your search there! Whaddaya say? It'd be a win-win for both of us!"

The butler mulls over the proposition, and dispenses a succinct response. "My master's orders doesn't prevent me from working with others. Very well."

"Awwww-right!"

"Bi-bi-biiiiiink!"

_S Bastion has joined the party!_

And so this newly-formed tetrad of trainers/floating rock creatures forges ahead down a naturally-formed staircase (don't ask me how that happens) and quickly encounters a giant slab of glimmering stone blocking their path just a few feet. With a perceptive ear, the green-haired Unovan listens in and quickly picks up the distinct voices of the guide's trapped companions.

"Well, this appears to be the place. Anyone have any ideas on how to get past this? Solar?"

"…Huh. I was expecting a bunch of boulders or something packed together, but this… it's like the whole ceiling just fell in!"

However, in spite of this dilemma, the dapperly-dressed butler remains calm and carries on. He pulls up the sleeve of his suit and readies his punching arm. "Now, if you would kindly stand back."

"Oh, so that's what you got in mind, huh, butler dude? No way I'm missing out on this!" Solar grabs a Pokeball from his belt. "Go, Infernape!" At her trainer's command, the flame-haired primate quickly takes a position at the slab and adopts S Bastion's stance. "Now bust that wall down!"

_S Bastion and Infernape used Brick Break!_

_Meanwhile, with our Kalosian Heroes…_

"…What did you say, Calem?"

"KABOOM! The one you mentioned back at Santalune. Who is he?"

The girl's voice begins to crack with a hostile uneasiness. "What does he have to do with anything? I already told you, he was an old friend from Hoenn region. What else is there to know?"

"The truth. At least… the whole truth. You said you never met him until you came to Kalos, but from what I can tell, the history between you two extends a bit longer than that."

The uneasiness persists. "So what if it is. That still has nothing do with anything. Just drop it, OK."

"…Sorry, but I can't."

"And why's that?"

"A couple reasons actually. For one, we need all the information we can get in order to get to the bottom of this. …Believe me, I wouldn't ask this if I didn't think it was necessary, but I can't afford to leave any stone unturned here. This KABOOM! could change everything we know so far; it could be crucial."

"Crucial? Crucial?! Just how could my personal life possibly be crucial to this situation?!"

The detective pauses. "How you say? …What if I said we might've already run into him?"

"I would say you're crazy. More than usual, anyway."

"…Harsh, but I guess that's fair. Just bear with me though. A proficient battler, the air of mystery, propensity for travelling from region to region, those all fit the description of someone else we know."

"That's an awfully vague description. Several people would fit it. Even you, Calem."

"That may be, but… what if it's someone like say, Hil? Someone who's deeply intertwined with this case."

"Then that makes it even easier. All we need to do is defeat him. Simple as that." And without hesitation, the gray-clothed girl presses forward faster into the darkness.

However, before she gets too far ahead, the other hero speaks out. "…Serena. Hold on."

"What is it?!"

"There's still something I want to say." Calem takes another deep breath before continuing. "You've been my friend, my confidant for about as long as I can remember. You're one of the few people I feel I can really open up to. Whenever I needed your help, whether it was breaking into evil lairs or just having someone to talk to, you were there. But right now, I want to be that kind of person to you."

"…What?"

"…Look, I may not know everything about your past, but no matter what happened, I'm still here for you. I know it sounds hackneyed, I know it sounds clichéd, but it's true. I know you don't like talking about this because you don't want to burden everyone with worries, and to some extent, I get that, but… That's what friends are for, right? Carrying each other's burdens?"

The girl is stopped in her tracks, taken aback. "…How… How do you know that?"

"You're not the only one who knows people, Serena." With a sincere gaze, he meets eyes with his fellow hero. "But listen, mistakes, resentment, …betrayal, whatever it is, you can talk to me about, OK?"

And another silence passes over the cave for a good long moment before she can even stammer out a few words. "…I… I don't… know what to sa—"

_CRRRRRRSSSSHHH!_

Echoing through the cavern's halls, the sudden distant sound of crumbling rock breaks through the cave's atmosphere in more ways than one.

"Serena, you hear that?!"

"Yeah, I did. We'll talk later!"

And so the pair runs full steam ahead to Reflection Cave's lowest level, the tension and sense of urgency only rising as they draw closer and closer to their destination. All the more so as a distinctively high-pitched "AAAAAAAACK!" rings out. Upon arrival, the two heroes stop and stumble upon… pretty much what they expected.

"Well, I see you found the wall."

"Rainbow Antlers! You're… here!"

"And I see you've gotten yourself buried in rubble already."

"Yeah, well… If butler dude here tells you to you stand back, you should probably listen to him."

"Sigh… Let's get you out of there."

Joining in with her fellow hero, Solar's Infernape, and the black-suited butler, Serena helps in digging out our unfortunate protagonist. With the orange-hatted youth freed, the casually-dressed Calem is the first to address him.

"So, Butt Wings, you OK?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine, Looker. Just—" ACHOO! "Got a little rock dust up my nose. …But the real problem is that wall! We gave it all we've got and all we've done is crack it!"

"I am afraid I must concur." The butler dusts off his suit. "At our current rate, we may be here for a quite a while yet. Hours more, to be precise"

"In that case, allow me." With a tip of her fedora, Serena steps forward and sends out a Pokemon of her own. "Greninja! Water Shuriken!" And after a compliant "WH-THAAAAK!", a barrage of aqueous projectiles embed themselves into the cracks of the monolithic obstacle. "Expand!" The tongue-scarfed amphibian forms a hand sign, and immediately, five bursts of H2O go off like explosive charges, further weakening the rock. "Now! Hydro Pump! And with another handsign, a high-pressure stream shoots out, blowing away the weakened wall into small shiny shards. When the dust settles, several more Carbink are revealed, each one elated as they reunite with their friend.

"Bi-bi-biiiink! Bi-bink!"

"BIIIIIII-IIIII-IIINK!"

A touching and squeaky reunion. Aww.

…

"So, S Bastion, was it? Thank you for your help. We couldn't have pulled it off without you."

"Make no mention of it, young lady. If anyone were to say thank you, it should be me. After all, you and your Greninja were the ones who ultimately broke through." The butler takes a cordial bow. "You have my sincerest gratitude." He then turns around. "But now I really must resume my search for the Pokemon my master requests. He does not like being kept waiting. I bid you good day." And on that note, the dapperly-dressed gentleman walks off into the cavern's innermost depths. However, one thought passes through his mind as he does so. _"Serena... That name sounds familiar, but why? …Oh well, no matter, it will come to me eventually. …I still wonder though, whatever happened to that Hero of Kalos the young master was looking for before? Perhaps one of these days, I will be able to meet them in person."_

A few minutes later, our motley quartet ascends back up the reflective corridors to the cavern's exit. And as per the usual, Solar's ever-present enthusiasm shines through like the light from outside. "Alright! We did it! Hah hah! Take that, wall! Aw yeah! We're so ready to save the world now!"

And with a rare lack of animosity toward our pumped-up protagonist, Serena agrees. "You know, for once, I think we're on the same page here, Solar. Now let's get out of here—huh?" A grayish-blue blue rushes from behind, stopping in front of her face. "Hold on, you're the Carbink who led the way. What are you doing here?"

"Bi-bi-bi-bink! Bi-bink!"

"N?"

"Right, of course." The Unovan translator clears his throat. "She's saying that she can't thank you enough for helping her out and… she wants to join up with you!"

"Wait, really? But what about her-  
"Bi-bi-bink! Bi-biiiiiiiink."

"She says she already talked to her friends about it and they approve. They all said that it's rare to find someone who can appreciate true beauty."

"Oh… I see… I must say I'm flattered…" The blond Bijoux takes a moment to think before continuing. "Hmm… I have a full team with me at the moment, but… I'd never turn away such an adorable creature! You're welcome to follow us around, Carbink!"

"Bi-biiiiiiiiink!"

Needless to say the rock fairy is elated, pirouetting in midair with as big a smile one can get without a visible mouth…However, things don't stay smiles for very long.

_GWWWWWOOOOOAAAH…_

An all-too-familiar melodious howl echoes in from past the archway leading to Route 11. Wasting no time, the group sets foot onto the uneven ground of Miroir Way and see a vast white dragon descending ominously from the blindingly-bright midday sky. It takes all of a split-second for our amber-eyed adolescent to state the obvious.

"Uh, guys… I think we've got some trouble on our hands…"


	22. Myriad of Truths (Part 1)

**Author's Note: OK, instead of my usual long-winded rants about college and errands, I'll just be up front here. I'm a procrastinator. I'm the procrastinating-est procrastinator that's ever procrastinated. Let's get on with this, shall we?**

_**Chapter 22: Myriad of Truths (Part 1)**_

"Well, this is… unexpected. I never thought you'd make an appearance so soon after you ran away." Maintaining a level-headed façade, Calem is the first to greet Reshiram and its rider. The pair in question, hovering a several feet off the ground against the sun, breaks the usual silent routine in response.

"Ran away? Hmph. I just did what had to be done, as I am doing now."

"And what exactly is that, Hil?!" A hush falls over the group as N cries out at the top of his lungs. "Don't you remember? It's me! N—"

The enigmatic Unovan cuts him off. "Believe me, I remember who you are. No one could ever forget hair like yours. To tell you the _truth_, it's simply ridiculous." And Reshiram's howl seems to concur. "But that's irrelevant. There's a new world to create, simple as that. If you're expecting a lengthy monologue out of me, you're out of luck. I've got better things to do."

And so Team Hil goes blasting off again.

"Running again, are we?!" Calem then grabs a waist-mounted Poke Ball. "If that's how it's going to be… Primether!" The crimson bird of destruction cries out into the cloudless sky, soon followed by its master's marching orders. "Everyone, get on!" The other 3 trainers do just that, and Yveltal has its bacon wings at the ready. "Hang on tight!"

_FWOOOSH!_

Our group of heroes are soon literally in hot pursuit, flying over trees and scattered stones in Reshiram's Turboblazing trail. But despite his high tolerance to heat, our Pyroar-shirted protagonist is sweating like a Pignite.

"Hey, L-Looker!"

"Yeah? What is it, Butt Wings?"

"W-Where do you think these two are headed?"

"I'm not entirely sure! Geosenge's back in the other direction! I don't know what their plan is supposed to be, but at this rate, we'll be passing over—"

In barely any time at all, a beachside town comes into view, complete with several blue-roofed cottages and a steep biking course etched into the side of a cliff. All familiar sights to a panic-stricken Solar: the sights of—

"Cyllage City?! NO WAY!"

The residents look up at the sky with fear, as a giant ball of flame begins to form over the center of the city. However, the looming fireball invokes an entirely different emotion in the amber-eyed adolescent.

"OK! Now you've gone too far!" Anger.

"Solar?! What are you—" Serena doesn't even get to finish her sentence.

"No one tries to destroy my hometown and gets away with it!" And throwing all caution to the wind, Solar jumps off Primether's gray fur tuft 5 stories off the ground, reaching for a Poke Ball. "Hyperion! It's go time!"

The command is instantly followed by a blindingly bright flash of light.

_Hyperion's Charizardite Y is reacting with Solar's Mega Ring!_

_Hyperion Mega Evolved into Mega Charizard Y!_

"You want heat?! I'll give you heat!

_Hyperion's Drought intensified the sun's rays!_

Slicing through the wind, Solar charges ahead atop his Charizard chariot.

"Hyperion! Dragon Pulse!"

Before Reshiram and its rider can react, a thin stream of draconic energy shoots out, dispelling the fireball—

_A critical hit!_

And striking its target right in the crotch fur.

Needless to say, the attack's recipient isn't very pleased. As the Fusion Flare dissipates, the embodiment of truth turns to retaliate with a

"Blue Flare!"

Azure flames sweep across the sky in a wide, far-reaching arc, and though Solar does his best to steer clear, neither him nor his flame-tailed flyer can escape completely unscathed. It strikes the lizard's wing and his signature hat, sending the pair falling in a fiery downward spiral.

"SOLAR!"

_Meanwhile…_

"That Reshiram… Who knows what kind of havoc it could be wreaking right now… I have to hurry!"

Floating around at near the speed of sound, a purplish-pink blur weaves its way through a dense Unovan forest. Its expression, as with its pace, is one of urgency, desperately searching for perhaps the one thing that could put an end to the rampage of the white-winged beast once and for all. Having already flown through the more urbanized locales of Nimbasa and Castelia cities to no avail, Mewtwo sets a course to the more rural Nuvema after hearing a rumor or two that it was the birthplace of heroes. A shaky lead, but a lead nonetheless.

After slowing down considerably, the feline turns its crimson eyes to what appears to be a youth with unkempt hair and an outfit consisting of a loose-fitting blue shirt and tan shorts over black spandex. Normally, an encounter like this would be nothing of note for the genetically-cloned cat; after all, there were much weirder-clothed humans out there, but the words the youth mumbles are more than enough to warrant attention.

"I just don't get it. Zekrom's got the whole connection thing with its other half, and still we've got nothing! Seriously, if Reshiram isn't anywhere in Unova, then where else it could be? …Haah… Guess I better deliver the bad news."

The brown-haired boy rings the doorbell to a simple-looking house, but is immediately blindsided by a booming question resonating inside his mind.

"Did you just say Zekrom?!"

Immediately, he turns around, more bewildered than anything. "Uh, do I know you… giant… purple cat person?"

Before Mewtwo can get another thought telepathed, the door opens, accompanied by a voice. "Oh, Nate! It's been a while! Do you have any news about— Why is there a 6-foot tall anthropomorphic feline floating on the front porch?" A strangely familiar-sounding voice. One that catches the cat off-guard.

"Hold on! You! What are you… But that's not possible!"

The house's occupant stands there utterly dumbfounded at the stuttering psychic at the doorstep, unsure about how to respond. Nate, on the other hand, does. "First Hugh's Purrloin, and now this. What am I, some sort of cat magnet?"

_Meanwhile, back at Kalos…_

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" An ear-splitting scream fills the air, as Solar clings on for dear life to his flame-tailed mount. Not the easiest of tasks when your hat is alight akin to an Infernape's head. He has no choice but to discard the heated headwear while Hyperion does his best to regain lost altitude. However, the effort proves futile. Both trainer and Pokemon remain on a crash course toward the waters below.

Taking initiative, the monochrome maiden dives down atop her own flier, bursting through a sphere of light,

_Serena's Altaria Mega Evolved into Mega Altaria!_

And catches the pair handily with a thick wall of fluff.

"Whew… Thanks for the save!"

"Don't mention it." As they make their descent, the gray-clothed girl reaches into her satchel and promptly pulls out a light-green bottle of spray medicine. "This Full Restore ought to heal Hyperion's injuries. Just make sure you cover the whole wing, OK?"

"Got it!"

"Good. Now then…" Serena shoots up into the air again, soon meeting up with N and her fellow Kalosian, facing off against the dragon of truth.

"Primether! Oblivion Wing!"

"Gyarados! Hydro Pump!"

And before you ask, yes, Gyaradoses can fly.

The streams of attack quickly converge, hitting their mark right as they explode in a splash of death and H20.

As the smoke clears, N speaks out. "Tell me, Hil! Why are you doing this?! After everything we've been through! Our journeys, our battles… our friendship. Why would you just throw all that away?"

"…Throwing it all away?" Hil sneers. "Last time I checked, you were the one who left me, not the other way around."

In a reversal of roles, it is N who is struck silent for a moment. "…Yes. That is true." He then raises his head. "But I never threw our bonds away! …That day, it dawned upon me. There was so much I didn't know. About the world… About myself. All my life I lived cut off from everyone, my only company being mistreated and abused Pokemon and the members of Team Plasma. It was my experiences with you that drove me to learn more."

"So," Hil flatly replies. "A journey of self-discovery, was it? Is that all?"

"…No. Not entirely. It was a big part of it, yes, but… I… I wanted to become a better person. A better friend. For your sake."

"I see. …How cliché."

_Reshiram used Blue Flare!_

Another blue blaze sweeps out in a horizontal arc, prompting Primether to grab the green-haired trainer and his Gyarados out of harm's way. However, N's resolve remains unshaken.

"Cliché? The Hil I know would never say that!"

"Hmph. You of all people should know that people change. Or are you just stuck in the mire of your stupid ideals?" Reshiram and its rider rush in for a claw swipe.

_Reshiram used Dragon Claw!_

"You said you went to go see the world, am I right, N?" The dragon swipes again. "Then how do you not understand?! This world needs to find out the truth! The truth of this harsh reality!"

_Reshiram used Hyper Voice!_

"Let me tell you now, N, this world isn't all Roselia petals and Buneary rabbits. It's an unforgiving place where people suffer and die! And your idealistic nonsense is nothing more than a plague to it!"

"…Is that what you really think?"

"What do you think?!"

N frowns, tears beginning to well up. "…I suppose there's no reasoning with you then. …Gyarados! Whirlpool!"

The sea serpent spins around in place, drawing up water (and the occasional Skrelp) from off the Cyllagean coast. With amazing speed, the resulting aquatic cyclone then slams into the truth dragon with devastating force.

After spitting out a mouthful of sea water, Hil snaps back. "Not bad, I'll admit. …But not good enough." Even with the intensified sun courtesy of Solar's Charizard, the sky begins to darken. "Now Reshiram! Draco Meteor!"

It lets out a melodious howl, calling down large boulders literally out of the blue.

"Th-this looks bad!"

Couldn't have said it better myself, Solar. Dracolithic destruction tends not to be a good thing. (…Hmm, is dracolithic even a word? No matter.)

However, living up to her name, Serena remains calmly confident. "That's not going to work." She turns to her fellow Kalosian hero. "Just focus on dodging, Calem. I got this."

The detective responds with a knowing chuckle. "Tell me something I don't know."

She charges ahead without any hesitation, despite the several meteors in her path. As she draws closer, one of the rocks is about to make a head-on impact, but

_It doesn't affect Altaria…_

At her Trainer's behest, the cloudlike bird darts all over the place, intercepting each chunk of rock and evaporating them into pink sparkles.

"What?! But how?!"

A subtle smile surfaces on Serena's face. "What, you don't know about Fairy types, Hil? Well, I suppose it is a relatively recent discovery. Dragon-typed attacks like that won't do a thing a Fairy type."

Under the eye-obscuring hat, Hil scowls. "Then take this! Blue Fla—"

_Hyperion used Dragon Pulse!_

"I'm not down for the count yet!"

And like Ho-oh, our Pyroar-shirted protagonist rises from the ashes of defeat.

"Nice shot there, Butt Wings!" And the aliasing agent proceeds to give a fist bump of approval. "Now then, we have to get Hil and Reshiram away from here! I'll need all the help I can get!"

"Not a problem!"

"Perfect! Now, everyone!"

_Primether used Dark Pulse!_

_Altaria used Moonblast!_

_Hyperion used Dragon Pulse!_

_Gyarados used Hydro Pump!_

…That'd be an insane amount of onomatopoeia for me to spell out, so let's just say 'that'll leave a mark' and move on like the dragon rocketing off to whence it came as we speak.

"AFTER THEM!"

One rallying cry courtesy of Solar and our heroic quartet are right on the pair's engine-esque tail. Hil turns around, muttering. "Grr… You better be ready over there…"

Proving that there's no Rest for the morally-questionable, our pursuing protagonists continue piling on the Pressure.

"Hyperion! Air Slash!"

A blade of wind strikes Reshiram on one of its hind legs.

"Gyarados! Hydro Pump again!"

The stream of water washes against the tail, causing steam to form.

"Now Altaria! Hyper Voice!"

And a wave of Pixilated sound disperses the vapor cloud, visibly shaking up its targets.

The dragon's white wings waver and soon the Unovan pair crashes at the entrance to Geosenge.

Landing Primether, the determined detective steps forward. "This time it's over, Hil! Reshiram may be powerful, but we have the upper hand."

"I-is that so?" Hil flashes a crooked smile. "I beg to differ. …NOW!"

_Bisharp used Iron Head!_

_Absol used Sucker Punch!_

A swift blur of motion, and both Serena's songbird and Solar's salamander are on the ground, reeling.

"What the heck was tha—"

Two shadows phasing into existence provide the answer.

"We are not about to let you all ruin our meticulously crafted plans."

"Especially now that we're so close to fulfilling our goal!

Gauche and Milieu of the Shadow Triad.

"You two again! What're you doing here?! Gonna kidnap me again or something?!"

"Oh, no. Oh _Arceus_ no. Believe me, I've had enough of your high-pitched voice and kicks to… sensitive places, orange hair." Milieu clears his throat, as if to make sure his voice is operating in the correct octave. "We're here to assure the safe arrival of the man in charge. The "star of the show" as it were."

"And just who would that be?!" Solar shouts. "Hil? Well, in case you haven't noticed, you're a little late for that!"

A brief moment of silence passes before Gauche—

"AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

…Breaks out into laughter, strangely enough. "Is that what you really think?! Oh my. There is so much that you do not yet know. For one, Hil isn't even a—"

"ENOUGH!" Hil screams, "I… I… AM NOT ABOUT TO FAIL!" Another fireball begins forming: a gigantic Fusion Flare larger than any our protagonists have ever seen before. "This world… This world must remade! Remade in the image of—"

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"

The sky above Geosenge is soon overtaken by a big ball of blue lightning, crashing through the fireball and into its creator.

_? used Fusion Bolt!_

"Nice one, Zekky! And just in time too!"

A large black dragon the same size as Reshiram appears on the scene, with striking red eyes and majestic webbed wings. By its side is a certain purple feline, and on its back is the spandex-clad Nate… as well as one other.

"Must say, it's been a while since I've seen, well, any of you! …Well, besides fedora girl, the kid in the lion shirt, and the guy who looks like L from Death Note. I've never seen you three before."

"W-wait a second," Calem interjects, "Is that—?!"

"There's no way…" Serena continues.

Together with N, the Kalosian heroes exclaim, "There's two Hils?!"

Solar, however, opts for a different, but equally viable question. "Hold on! Hil… is a girl?!"

"Yeah. It's short for Hilda. …Did I… not mention this before?"

"No, N. No, you did not."


End file.
